Glamour Boys are a shadow of their former self

An unconvincing Kaizer Chiefs only managed to break down a resolute Maritzburg United defense in the 50th minute through a strike by the not so regular marksman Dumisani Zuma to win 1–0.

And the result was not a true reflection of the game as the Team of Choice could have easily been three goals up in the first half if their strikers had not forgotten their striking boots at home.

Coach Eric Tinkler’s Pietermaritzburg side was firing from all cylinders in their battle to bag all three points to start steering them away from relegation.

The bottom of the log team in the Absa Premiership has only managed to collect 17 points from 23 matches with only three wins, eight draws and 12 losses that have seen them concede 24 goals while only scoring 13.

The Soweto Glamour Boys, as Chiefs were known during their glory days, are a shadow of their former self as they lie in the eighth spot with 35 points from 23 games from which they have nine wins, eight draws, and six losses.

Amakhosi have only managed to score 22 goals as opposed to a whopping 29 that have been scored against them. Chiefs did not look convincing each time they had the ball and eventually, two of their most prolific strikers, Leonardo Castro, and Khama Billiat, both former Mamelodi Sundowns players, had to be pulled off due to poor form.

The teams went into the halftime break deadlocked on 0–0 but Amakhosi managed to find the back of the net in the 50th minute through Zuma, who together with Ryan Moon, have been sidelined by coach Ernst Middendorp since his return to Chiefs late last year.

Middendorp claimed they have not shown much hunger at training hence they have not featured more regularly in his team. Zuma started the game against Maritzburg while Moon came on as a substitute and made no meaningful impact on the game.

Maritzburg had three other clear-cut scoring opportunities in the second stanza but poor finishing from their strikers let them down, and with seven matches to go the battle against relegation is still on.

The Team of Choice’s next tough assignment is against joint log leaders Sundowns, who have 40 points together with Orlando Pirates though the former has a game in hand.

This encounter could be a tricky one for the Yellow Machine as Sundowns will be away at the infamous Harry Gwala Stadium on 12 March.

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https://northeasterntribune.co.za/227682/goal-of-the-month-for-maluleka/