From penalties to red cards, why Kaizer Chiefs are 'benefitting'.

                                                          Image credit: Kaizer Chiefs Twitter.

No team in the Dstv Premiership has been awarded more penalties, or had their opponents sent off against them than Kaizer Chiefs, which has led to unpleasant murmurs about the club 'benefitting' from referees in some football circles.

Stellenbosch FC, whom Amakhosi beat 2-1 on Saturday afternoon at FNB Stadium, have been hit the hardest when it comes to red cards and penalties awarded against them when facing Chiefs this season. 

Stellies have had two players sent off, and four penalties awarded against them, including a hat-trick of spot-kicks converted by Bonfils-Caleb Bimenyimana in the much talked about league first round encounter. Stellies coach, Steve Barker, was visibly infuriated by Saturday's happenings at FNB, where Chiefs took the lead through a spot kick, and Sage Stephens' sending off after he handled the ball outside of his area, which led to him giving a heated comment in his post-match interview.

"I think Kaizer Chiefs, they must have practice sesssions against 10 players more often than any other club. It seems that's all they play against. 10 men at training and penalties, that's all," said Barker.

But the big questions is, are Chiefs really 'benefitting' from referees decisions?

The answer to that is a resounding yes! But here is the thing, Amakhosi are benefitting within the laws of the game, in that teams commit fouls against them, and the referees are left with no choice but to apply the laws of the game.

For an example, Sage Stephens had no business handling the ball outside of his area on Saturday afternoon, he found himself in a desperate situation, and broke the laws of the game, and the man in the middle had no choice but to do what was just.

The fact of the matter is, Chiefs attackers are speedy Gonzalez's descendents, they are quick as lightning. With Amakhosi's game model based on quick offensive transitions, opposition defenders are bound to find themselves in awkward one vs one situations against the likes of Ashley Du Preez and Christian Saile Basomboli, where a tackle late by a fraction of a second will see them tumbling down, and the referee having to do what he has to do.

in a nutshell, Chiefs, as long as they have the type of attackers they have, and continue to play with the same speed in their offensive transitions, will benefit from penalties, and having their opponents sent off, it is what it is, it is a given.

They might as well, like Barker alluded, practice playing against 10-men, and a lot of spot kicks, so that Bimenyimana, Solomons, and Billiat do not miss some the next time.