Kaizer Chiefs maintained their unbeaten start to the Betway Premiership campaign after edging Siwelele FC 3-2 in a dramatic encounter at a packed Dobsonville Stadium on Sunday night.
What initially looked like a comfortable victory for the Glamour Boys turned into a tense finish after Siwelele twice fought their way back into the contest.
Fernando Da Cruz’s side ultimately held their nerve to collect another valuable three points and strengthen their position near the top of the table.
Vilakazi puts Chiefs in front
Kaizer Chiefs started positively and eventually broke the deadlock in the 30th minute.
Youngster Mfundo Vilakazi made the most of an opening in the Siwelele defence before calmly finding the back of the net.
The goal gave Amakhosi control of the match and allowed them to head into the interval with a 1-0 advantage.
Vilakazi’s contribution was another encouraging sign for Chiefs, who continue to see promising performances from their younger players.
Duba doubles the advantage
Chiefs returned from the break determined to extend their lead, and they managed to do so in the 65th minute.
Wandile Duba produced a composed finish to put Amakhosi 2-0 ahead.
At that stage, the Glamour Boys appeared to be cruising towards another comfortable league victory.
But Siwelele had other ideas.
Siwelele refuse to surrender
Just three minutes after Duba’s goal, Aphiwe Baliti gave the home side renewed hope with a powerful strike.
The goal changed the complexion of the contest, with Siwelele suddenly believing they could get something from the game.
Chiefs responded with another moment of quality in the 76th minute.
Faiz Abrahams stepped up for a free kick and delivered a superb curling effort to restore Chiefs’ two-goal advantage at 3-1.
It looked like the decisive blow.
Late drama at Dobsonville Stadium
Siwelele continued to push forward despite trailing by two goals, and their persistence eventually paid off in stoppage time.
Debutant Michael N’Guessan marked his first appearance with a 91st-minute goal, setting up a frantic finale.
The hosts now needed just one more goal to rescue a point.
Chiefs were forced to withstand the late pressure, but Da Cruz’s players managed to protect their lead until the final whistle.
The 3-2 victory was secured — although the dramatic ending will give the Chiefs coaching staff plenty to think about.
Chiefs remain unbeaten
Despite the late scare, the result represents another important step for Kaizer Chiefs under Fernando Da Cruz.
Amakhosi remain unbeaten after five matches, recording three wins and two draws.
The victory leaves Chiefs in third place with 11 points, five points behind league leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, who have a game in hand.
The early signs under Da Cruz are therefore encouraging.
Chiefs are not only collecting points but also giving opportunities to young players such as Vilakazi and Duba, while new arrivals such as Abrahams are already making their presence felt.
Da Cruz faces an exciting challenge
The biggest question now is whether Chiefs can turn their unbeaten beginning into a sustained title challenge.
There is still a long way to go in the Premiership, and Sunday’s match showed that Amakhosi still need to become more ruthless when protecting a lead.
Nevertheless, three wins from their opening five matches represents a positive start.
For now, the message from Naturena is clear: Kaizer Chiefs are unbeaten, scoring goals and climbing the table — and the young stars are making their mark.
