Polokwane City expose unconvincing Amakhosi

● Jabu Maluleke’s 16th-minute penalty exposed the cracks in an unconvincing performance by Kaizer Chiefs, who suffered their first Absa Premiership defeat of 2019-20 in their fifth game at FNB Stadium last night.

Bob Marley’s Africa Unite, along with SA songs of peace, blared out of FNB’s powerful speakers in the half-time break after a message against attacks on foreigners.

Chiefs’ good start to the league season — winning three and drawing one from four — swelled what can be a disappointing turnout at FNB to above 20,000.

The Amakhosi faithful turned out again yesterday evening but had to leave disappointed by a flatter performance from Ernst Middendorp’s men.

Zlatko Krmpotic’s workmanlike Polokwane were rewarded for putting in the graft, but would have been pleased to encounter a Chiefs who seemed to lack grease on the wheels.

Chiefs enjoyed the possession and territory. But a lack of flow in being able to turn that into composed passing of the ball in the attacking third resulted in a lack of penetration by Amakhosi.

It was Polokwane — as you would expect, looking for opportunities on the counterattack — who took the lead, earning their penalty against the run of play, but also profiting from opportunism and Chiefs being unable to find a higher gear.

Charlton Mashumba was put through down the right of the area, cut inside, and would have beaten goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi, who had to take the legs out from under the Zimbabwean centre-forward.

Maluleke slotted the spot-kick to the right

Chiefs’ build-ups were on the intricate side, and a touch elaborate, as they increasingly struggled for the killer pass

of Akpeyi.

Chiefs, in response, managed halfchances.

From Lebogang Manyama’s cross, Eric Mathoho got up in the area and glanced a header wide.

Amakhosi’s big centreback, their top scorer with two goals, came closer from George Maluleka’s corner with a header into the ground tipped over by the athletic save of Polokwane’s goalkeeper, Mwenya Chibwe.

Middendorp threw on attackers to turn the game from the break, Khama Billiat and Dumisani Zuma replacing Lazarous Kambole and Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya, as Bernard Barker dropped to left-back.

Soon Billiat could turn in the area and force a save from a tight angle from Chibwe. Samir Nurkovic struck the loose ball narrowly wide from just outside the area.

Chiefs’ build-ups, though, were on the intricate side, and a touch elaborate, as they increasingly struggled for the killer pass that could swing the game back their way against resolute Polokwane defending, and as City were happy to sit back and absorb.

Billiat earned a free kick just outside the D, Manyama finding the wall, and Maluleka receiving the loose ball and curling in a far better strike, palmed out by Chibwe.