JOHANNESBURG – Black Africa Football Club, will have a mount Kilimanjaro to scale when they greet their South African counterparts Kaizer Chiefs in the decisive return leg of their Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League preliminary at the Windhoek Independence Stadium this coming Saturday.
Brian Isaacs’ team suffered a three nil defeat at the hands of an understrength Amakahosi outfit at the giant FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday. Chiefs mentor Stuart Baxter rested several first team regulars, including influential midfielders Yeye Letsholonyane, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Willard Katsande, leading striker Bernard Parker while defender Morgan Gould was not included in the match day squad. The visitors struggled to get out of first gear on a slippery pitch against a Chiefs team that was content to play at a pedestrian pace. With 18 minutes gone on the clock, the hosts opened the score after stylish midfielder Siyabonga Nkosi picked up the unmarked Knowledge Musona with a delightful pass on the right wing. The Zimbabwean international found the BA rearguard napping as his perfectly timed delivery was masterfully turned into goal by Mandla Masango from close range with goal keeper Arnold Subeb badly exposed to make the scoreline 1-0. The Namibians were made to chase shadows for the better part of the opening half of the match with Klaas Blom totally out of his depth. The usually nimble footed midfielder was guilty of giving away ball possession in crucial areas of the field. Midfielder Bryan Bantam was doubtlessly Black Africa’s most outstanding player on the field as he matched his more celebrated opponents pound for pound in all aspects of the game. Just over the half hour mark, the enterprising Nkosi was at it again when he sent Kingston Nkhatna clear with a defense splitting pass.
The strongly built Zimbabwean took his time before he unleashed an unstoppable grass cutter into the bottom corner of the net below the diving body of Subeb. Baxter replaced George Lebese with Mathew Rusike at the resumption, while Isaacs responded by hauling off the ineffective Blom for Marko van Wyk. The move immediately paid dividends as BA started to pay frequent visits into the opponent’s danger zone – only to be let down by poor decision making. As the match progressed, winger Awilo Stephanus suddenly came alive after a quite first half – giving the Chiefs rearguard a torrid time with his tricky moves, but most of his teammates did not come to the party and his efforts were in vain. Chiefs created numerous goal scoring chances to put the result to bed, but were badly let down by their misfiring strikers with Rusike the main culprit, while substitutes Parker and Tshabalala also wasted gilt edge opportunities in front of goal. With 5 minutes left on the clock – the game was effectively ended as a contest when an unforgivable schoolboy howler by Subeb gifted Chiefs a goal on the platter. The Namibian shot-stopper was the busiest of the two goalkeepers and thwarted numerous goal scoring attempts by the marauding Chiefs forwards. However, he was at fault when he misjudged an innocent looking clearance from his opposite number Khune that allowed Nkhatna to head home into an empty net to complete his brace. The visitors were dealt a major blow when lanky centre back Emilo Martin, who otherwise had a good game in the heart of the BA defense was forced off with a knee injury – 15 minutes from time. Final score: Chiefs 3-0
Black Africa starting line up: Arnold Subeb, Merwin Katire, Junior Gebhardt, Dacosta Angula, Emilio Martin (Adams), Denzil Haoseb, Ndjemba Mundjanima, Awillo Stephanus, Klaas Blom (van Wyk), Brian Bantam and and Roger Katjiteo (Eugene). Chiefs starting lineup: Itumeleng Khune, Kgotso Moleko, Siboniso Gaxa, Eric Mathoho, Tefu Mashamaite, Siyabonga Nkosi, Knowldege Musona (Tshabalala), George Maluleka, George Lebese (Rusike), Mandla Masango (Parker) and Kingston Nkhatna.
By Carlos Kambaekwa