Kaizer Chiefs proved they are ready for the coming Premier Soccer League season when they beat Tottenham Hotspurs 1-0 in their Vodacom Challenge match at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane last Saturday.
As if they were campaigning in the same division, Amakhosi managed to match the British stars pound for pound from the onset to the bitter end. Chiefs threatened to score in the 14th minute. Their new signee, Lehlohonolo Majoro, went loose from the left corner. Instead of dishing the ball to Josta Dladla, who was in a perfect scoring position, Majoro chose the wrong option of unleashing from the edge of the box. The ball hit the woodwork and bounced outside the field of play for a goal kick.
Majoro continued to cause another upset when his header went a little wide moments thereafter. Hotspur missed a fortune three minutes before half time. Their centre forward, Robbie Keane, tried his luck from outside the box, only to see the ball missing the target by a few inches.
Chiefs effected three changes to their starting line-up early in the last half. They introduced Knowledge Musona, Mthokozisi Yende and Dominic Mateba for Lehlohonolo Majoro, Reneilwe Letsholonyane and Dominic Isaacs respectively. Hotspur responded by introducing Bongani Khumalo for Sebastian Bassong.
The Chiefs' keeper, Itumeleng Khune, who was nominated the man of the match, made two brilliant saves toward the end of the game. In the first instance, he palmed Jerman Defoe's volley away for a corner kick. Before long, he once again stretched to the limit to save Tom Huddleston's ground cutter.
Chiefs' long awaited goal came two minutes into the referee's optional time via a substitute, George Lebese. This after some brilliant moves from Knowledge Musona and Mthokozisi Yende.