I am proud to have watched South African football after this game - 'Tso' Vilakazi.

Benedict 'Tso' Vilakazi. Image: iDiski TV Twitter. 

Kaizer Chiefs and Marumo Gallants played such good football on Saturday night in their 1-1 draw at FNB Stadium, leaving Tso Vilakazi raving about their performance.

The former Orlando Pirates, and Mamelodi Sundowns attacking midfielder, also known as 'Little Napoleon', felt this was one of the best performances by South African sides.

"Well done to the two teams, they gave us something to talk about. Good actions on the left and the right, and combination play, they kept us on the edges of our seats because of the football on display. I ask myself how Marumo Gallants ended up at the bottom," Vilakazi told iDiski TV.

"I would say after a long time, I am proud to have watched South African football after this game. Looking at how Marumo and Chiefs played, creating chances on both ends, making runs into good areas, getting into the final third where it was just a matter of time before they could score goals.

"It's just that they got into good areas but that final touch was lacking, but they played good football."

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/kaizer-chiefs-drops-two-points-against.html?m=1

Tso on how impressive Marumo Gallants were in dealing with Kaizer Chiefs' transition football:

"Chiefs always play on transitions, and I think the in the first 10 minutes of the first half it worked for them. But they couldn't do enough to punish Marumo.

"Du Preez was making good runs, and Dolly was delivering good crosses, it was just a matter of finishing.

"Marumo were doing very well, even though Chiefs did their transitions, they would still build up from from the back, and Gumede was very solid.

"They also did well in the middle during the build up phase, with Mohomi and Ngema. Only Letsie [Koapeng] caused Marumo not to win the game. When Chivaviro [Ranga] needed him, he wasn't there."

Kaizer Chiefs drops two points against Marumo Gallants.

Kaizer Chiefs forward, Ashley Du Preez scored his second goal in two matches when he netted for Amakhosi against Marumo Gallants. Image: Kaizer Chiefs Facebook. 

Kaizer Chiefs saw their four match winning streak in the league come to an end as they drew 1-1 against Marumo Gallants on Saturday night at FNB Stadium.

Striker, Ashley Du Preez gave Amakhosi a dream start as he received a pass from Yusuf Maart around the half way line and was soon on his bike towards goal to net an opener in the 6th minute. 

A defensive mix-up involving Edmilson Dove and goalkeeper Brandon Peterson gifted Marumo Gallants an equaliser in the 36th minute as Ranga Chivaviro profited from their miscommunication to finish from a tight angle.

This was a game where Amakhosi's Achilles heel, which is missing opportunities, as well as silly mistakes at the back, became their downfall.

Chiefs had most of the ball, with an average of 57% of possession, and managed to fashion 18 goal attempts, with five of them on target, yet there were glaring misses once again that could have won them the game.

The two points dropped saw Amakhosi slightly dropping off the Caf Champions League spot race as it heads towards the last five crucial laps.

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/kabelo-dlamini-why-he-is-key-for.html?m=1

Marumo Gallants, who are staging a fight to move away from the relegation zone, despite not enjoying most of the ball, looked dangerous each time they ventured forward.

They managed 12 goal attempts of their own, with six on target, and they had some great opportunities to steal all three points in the second half, with Chivaviro missing from close range, and one their best efforts hitting the upright towards the end of the game.

Nonetheless, the point gained at FNB Stadium was enough to see Gallants moving off the bottom of the table, swapping places with Maritzburg United by virtue of a better goal difference, with both sides tied on 24 points each.

Gallants will be hoping to continue with their resurgence when they host Chippa United at Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane, on Wednesday 12 April.

While Amakhosi will next play a league game on 23 April, when they travel to Polokwane to face Sekhukhune United. 

Kabelo Dlamini: Why he is key for Orlando Pirates.

Orlando Pirates attacking midfielder, Kabelo Dlamini. Image: Twitter

Kabelo Dlamini is not a favorite of many an Orlando Pirates fan, but he is slowly repaying Jose Riveiro's faith in him.

In Saturday afternoon's 2-0 win over Chippa United, Dlamini scored his Pirates' first goal to open his account for this season.

Before yesterday's goal, the attacking midfielder had contributed in five league goals for Amabhakaniya, through assists, with one of them coming last weekend in Pirates' 2-0 win over Richards Bay.

Dlamini, who by all means is not your typical Pirates number 10, with his lack of charisma and flamboyance you would find in a Thembinkosi Lorch for an example, has been a subject of many unhappy conversations amongst Amabhakaniya's faithful, with some questioning his continued presence in the Pirates line up.

In fact, when Lorch came back from his long injury layoff, he was expected to be the one to replace Dlamini in the Pirates line up.

But as he has shown, Dlamini is just irreplaceable.

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/pirates-back-to-second-spot-after.html?m=1

He has appeared 24 times across all competitions for Bucs.

Maybe the answer as to why he is continually selected lies in his goal against Chippa and his assist against Richards bay.

Last weekend against the Natal Rich Boyz, Dlamini drifted to the right outside channel from his usual central position to create an overload, a decision that saw him received the ball with a lot of space to maneuver.

He then delivered a pin point cross that was directed into the back of the net.

Against Chippa on Saturday, Dlamini's perfectly timed run landed him on the edge of the six yard box, where he calmly slotted home a Monnapule Saleng cut back pass.

The common denominator in both the above incidents is the good decision making behind them, as well as the execution.

In short, Dlamini's football brain, which doesn't scream for attention, his excellent tactical/technical abilities, as well as his work rate, have been the major contributors in his constant presence in Jose Riveiro team.

In a nutshell, Dlamini might not be your typical Pirates number 10, but his work in the final third, without making the headlines, is what Riveiro keeps giving him more playing opportunities for, he is efficient.

Riveiro on Dlamini:

"Absolutely, we have a lot of quality in our front department," he told SuperSport TV as quoted by iDiski Times. https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/dstv-premiership/riveiro-people-dont-realise-how-important-he-is/

"I’m not going to discover Lorch, now with Dlamini people sometimes don’t realise how important he is for us, how much he helps us in our build-up process.

"I’m so happy for the boy because today he managed to get one goal and it’s going to be very important for him for the future."

Pirates back to second spot after beating Chippa 2-0.

Orlando Pirates crowd favorite, Thembinkosi Lorch. Image: Twitter

Orlando Pirates made it four Dstv Premiership wins in a row when they beat Chippa United 2-0 at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha, on Saturday afternoon.

Goals from Kabelo Dlamini, who scored from close range following a Monnapule Saleng cut back in the 20th minute, and crowd favorite, Thembinkosi Lorch who showed his experience with a calm finish after beating Chippa's offside trap in the 38th minute, were enough to see Pirates grab the all-important three points which moved them back to the second spot on superior goal difference over third placed SuperSport United.

In what was not their vintage performance, despite controlling possession of the ball with 57%, it was a combination of hunger, superior quality, and a bit of efficiency that won the game for Amabhakaniya.

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/mvala-one-of-major-transfer-market.html?m=1

There wasn't a lot of goal mouth action in Gqeberha for Bucs as we have come to know them, but from their five goal attempts, they managed to get three on target, with two ending up in the back of the net.

The 2-0 win means Pirates have now scored nine goals, with just one conceded in their last four league games.

It is their ability to keep clean sheets that will help in with their positive goal difference column, something that might play a role in determining who gets the Caf Champions League spot come the end of the season, with the race expected to go down to the wire.

Pirates' next league game will be against Cape Town City on Saturday 22 April at Orlando Stadium.

Mvala: One of the major transfer market success stories for Sundowns.

Mamelodi Sundowns defender, Mothobi Mvala. Image: Twitter

When Mamelodi Sundowns signed Mothobi Mvala and Peter Shalulile from Highlands Park, they pulled one of the major coups in the history of the South African transfer market.

Both players have went on to establish themselves as key figures in the trailblazing Downs side.

Mothobi Mvala, who joined Downs in the 2020/21 season, has had mixed fortunes with the club, alternating between regular game time and lengthy spells on the bench.

But Mvala has proven himself to be a fighter. The bandaged warrior, has risen from the verge of obscurity at Downs, to making 28 appearances for the club this season, scoring two goals, and providing a single assist.

On top of fighting his way back into the Sundowns line up, Mvala has also found his way back into the national team, where he played in both matches against Liberia in a crucial AFCON qualifier.

Perhaps, what makes Mvala stand out from the rest, is his versatility.

He has fitted like a hand in a glove in central defence for Downs, keeping tried and tested defenders like Mosa Lebusa on the bench.

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/ellis-and-dlamini-are-happy-with.html?m=1

Mvala's 'steelness' as Rulani Mokwena puts it, is one of his biggest strength, maybe more than his technical/tactical abilities.

More often than not, Mvala has been found wanting in one vs one situations against speedy, tricky forwards, forced into committing fouls in dangerous areas, but his prowess in the air, both in defensive and offensive situations, more so during set-pieces, plus his total commitment to the team's cause, has made Mvala almost indispensable at Downs.

Responding to questions about Mvala's persistent head injuries, his coach, Mokwena, had the following to say.

"The head injuries are just unfortunate," Mokwena told Times Live. https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/soccer/2023-03-01-like-a-mechanic-with-an-oil-stain-sundowns-coach-mokwena-on-mvalas-bloody-situation/

"Like a teacher who goes home with a lot of chalk stains, like a mechanic who goes home with a lot of oil stains, unfortunately Mothobi has a situation where in a game he gets a bit of blood on the jersey.  

"I think it’s a demonstration of not only commitment and 'steelness' of a human being [he is], but his character is just."

Mokwena's comment emphasized the importance of the human being behind the footballer when it comes to Mvala, a true warrior who is not afraid to fight from the front line.

If there is one signing Downs should be proud of, amongst many successful ones, it has to be Mothobi Mvala. 

Ellis, and Dlamini are happy with Banyana's World Cup preparations.

Banyana Banyana coach, Desiree Ellis. Image: Twitter

Banyana Banyana will kickoff their 2023 Fifa Women's World Cup against Sweden on the 23rd of July at the Wellington Regional Stadium.

Banyana are in a difficult Group G, with Argentina and Italy as the other two nations.

But before that, adequate preparations will be key if Banyana are to prove themselves competitive in the main event, hence their friendly international against Serbia on Monday 10 April at the SC FA of Serbia-Stara Pazova.

As the African Champions wrap up their preparations, goalkeeper, Andile Dlamini, who plays for Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies in the Hollywoodbets Super League, believes the lessons learned from their previous World Cup appearance in France, will help them do better this time around to make the country proud.

"The first World Cup was incredible for us, we went there for experience and we learnt that the game has much improved. The World Cup is the highest level and mentally we are switched on and we understand the demands," said Dlamini as quoted by Sowetan Live. https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/sport/soccer/2023-04-08-serbia-friendly-will-assess-quality-of-banyanas-preparation-says-dlamini/ 

"The lesson that we have learnt from the previous World Cup is that the speed of play is on a different level. You make sure that you focus on the task at hand, which is the group stages. 

"We must make sure that we perform to the best of our abilities and make the country proud."

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/perhaps-not-joining-chiefs-was-blessing.html?m=1

Banyana coach, Desiree Ellis, has been left impressed with the improvements the players have shown so far in their preparations.

"I think it was a worthwhile and fruitful exercise bringing in the players early and working on some things that we needed to work on. I think it really helped us," said Ellis.

"We had a bit of a break with players going back to play (in the Hollywoodbets Super League) and when they returned we could see players showing up. Nicole Michael scored a hat-trick, Thubelihle Shamase scored a bicycle kick and Katlego Moletsane did well as a goalkeeper. This is what we want to see when players go back to their clubs.

"The attitude, the work rate and effort was all there. We worked a lot and could see slowly but surely, the improvements. Now we go to the next part of the camp where we travel to Serbia and we meet the overseas-based players."

Perhaps, not joining Chiefs was a blessing in disguise for Mayambela.

Bafana Bafana star, Mihlali Mayambela. Image: Twitter

Kaizer Chiefs didn't have a single player in the Bafana Bafana squad that beat Liberia to qualify for AFCON 2024 in Ivory Coast.

Mihlali Mayambela, who was a subject of their interest when he was considering a move back home, scored the goal that earned Bafana's passage to the continental showpiece.

Had he joined Amakhosi, chances are he would not have been called up to the national team in the first place, considering their situation and performances this season.

The 26-year-old who plies his trade in the Cypriot 1st Division with Aris Limassol, where he has scored three goals in 24 appearances, has since played four times for Bafana, scoring two goals.

Mayambela on Chiefs interest:

"Yes, but it was not only Chiefs. I had many other options from different countries but I had to make a decision at the end of the day," Mayambela told iDiski Times. https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/bafana-bafana/mayambela-opens-up-on-chiefs-interest/

"I had to go with my gut, not with anybody else, not with my brother’s heart or with my mom’s heart or anybody but what I wanted at the time and the opportunity came to go to Cyprus.

"I just heard. It came from uSne [Sinesipho Mali, former Chiefs scout and analyst] but I heard it from my brother.

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/when-it-comes-to-last-three-to-four.html?m=1

"I was not in contact with them because that’s not how I deal. I don’t speak to the clubs or to the members of the club. They speak to my agent and it ended there.

"That’s when I decided to move to where I’m at. It was a good decision because I reached my dream to be in the national team and this is the most important thing now."