Chiefs’ nightmare slide continues with third loss on the trot against Bay

Struggling Kaizer Chiefs suffered their third successive DStv Premiership defeat, 1-0 at the hands of relegation-threatened Richards Bay FC at King Zwelithini Stadium on Sunday, severely endangering their chances of finishing in the top eight.

Bay skipper Simphiwe Mcineka scored the only goal in the 64th minute to sink Chiefs, who went to their fifth match without a win, four of those losses. The defeat also elbowed Amakhosi from eighth to 10th.

The win saw second-last-placed Bay move to 20 points, six behind third-last Moroka Swallows, boosting the KwaZulu-Natal team's chances of escaping relegation. They are eight points above last-placed Cape Town Spurs in last place.

Amakhosi were the better team in the first half but indecisiveness proved their undoing in the final third.

The first real chance of the game fell to Mduduzi Shabalala in the 16th minute as he was one-versus0one with Bay goalkeeper Salim Magoola. The Ugandan international smartly used his leg to thwart Shabalala's effort.

As much as Chiefs were dominant, they struggled with ball retention, mainly because their central midfielders, Siyathemba Sithebe and Sibongiseni Mthethwa, were not close enough to each other. 

Christian Saile was Chiefs' live wire in the first half, using his blistering pace to unlock Bay's defence. Bay's right-back Lwandile Mabuya struggled to contain Saile, forcing centrebacks Simphiwe Mcineka and Sibusiso Mthethwa to drift to the right flank to provide assistance.

When they did that, Chiefs' target man Ashley du Preez found freedom to attack the centre but again lack of composure and indecisiveness let the striker down.

The second half was also the same as the first, with the visitors taking the game to the hosts. However, the Natal Rich Boyz earned a corner against the run of play. The set piece was splendidly delivered by Sanele Barns, allowing Mcinake to rise and glance a header home.

Amakhosi's next game is against SuperSport United in the league at FNB Stadium on Saturday. Bay travel to Spurs in a huge match in the relegation battle on Friday.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Polokwane City and Cape Town City drew 2-2 at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.