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.  

  

Sundowns win the league with seven games to spare, while Chiefs make it four wins in a row.

 

          Kaizer Chiefs players in celebratory mood after beating Stellenbosch FC 2-1. Image credit: Kaizer Chiefs Twitter.

It was an action-packed Saturday in the Dstv Premiership, that saw Mamelodi Sundowns winning the league with seven games to spare, while SuperSport United's draw against Chippa United threw the race for second spot wide open.

As things stand, Orlando Pirates, SuperSport United, and Kaizer Chiefs are all tied on 40 points after 24 games, with Pirates occupying the Caf Champions League spot by virtue of a better goal difference. 

Richards Bay vs Orlando Pirates:

Amabhakaniya managed to shrug off an early resistance from the Natal Rich Boys to down them 2-0 in a match played at King Zwelithini Stadium, Umlazi, on Saturday afternoon.

Terence Dzvukamanja opened the scoring for Bucs in the 32nd minute after Kabelo Dlamini located him inside the box with an inch perfect cross from the right outside channel, while Monnapule Saleng finished the job for Pirates after 90+2 minutes, with a close-range finish which took his tally for the season to nine goals in the league.

Pirates enjoyed 58% of the ball, which culminated in 15 goal attempts with seven of them on target, while Richards Bay, who suffered their sixth straight league defeat, only managed five goal attempts, with a meagre two on target. 

With their win, Pirates moved to second spot on the league, after SuperSport United dropped two points against Chippa United.

Kaizer Chiefs vs Stellenbosch FC:

Amakhosi made it four wins in a row in the league as they put on a dominant performance om Saturday afternoon at FNB Stadium, to beat a 10-men Stellies 2-1.

The ghost of their first-round defeat to Chiefs, where they conceded three penalties and received a red card, came back to haunt Steve Barker's side as they gave away an early penalty, and got shown a red card in the 16th minute when goalkeeper, Sage Stephens handled the ball outside the box.

In a game they completely dominated, and should have scored more, Amakhosi took the lead through Ashley Du Preez in the 11th minute from a penalty spot, before captain Keagan Dolly added the second in the 25th minute to help Chiefs go to the half time break with a 2-0 lead, with Stellies looking dead and buried.

But Stellies came back a different side in the second stanza, as they pulled a goal back in the 46th minute through Jabaar. They almost grabbed an equalizer in the last minute of added time, but Brandon Pietersen pulled off a great close range save to deny Ortiz.

As has become the norm, Chiefs coach bemoaned his side's lack of killer instinct as they failed to kill the game off despite being dominant for most parts of the game.

Chiefs enjoyed 60% ball possesssion, 22 attempts on goal, of which only five were on target against 10-men. nonetheless, Zwane welcomed the all-important three points, and a fourth win in a row for his side, who have suffered a lack of consistency throughout the season.

Amakhosi remain fourth on the log, by virtue of a poor goal difference.