More trouble looms for Chiefs after Zwane is struck by fan missile

Kaizer Chiefs could well face the wrath of the Premier Soccer League at the tail end of another dismal campaign, after head coach Arthur Zwane was struck by a bottle thrown from the stands in their 1-0 DStv Premiership defeat to SuperSport United at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Phokeng on Saturday.

A video emerged of Zwane being escorted from the field by police, while missiles were hurled from the stands by supporters, with the Chiefs head coach flinching after looking like he was struck on the head.

Chiefs fans were clearly furious at their team’s performance in the loss to SuperSport, which ended their hopes of qualifying for continental football next season. Amakhosi have gone eight seasons in a row without winning a single piece of official PSL silverware.

It remains to be seen if the PSL throw the book at Chiefs, but a large fine and even being forced to hold a game behind closed doors has to be a possibility.

Chiefs were made to pay for a dreadful first half in Phokeng, where for a side that needed a victory, they were unbelievably ponderous. SuperSport are gunning for the Caf Champions League next season, by virtue of the runners-up spot in the league, and looked far more like a side that wanted the three points, zipping the ball around and creating plenty of opportunities.

After Chiefs goalkeeper Brandon Peterson had made a fine save to deny Bradley Grobler, he quickly turned from hero to villain, coming to meet a cross but punching the ball straight into the path of Gamphani Lungu, who lobbed over him and into the net.

Chiefs rallied a little late in the game, but were unable to find a goal, and Gavin Hunt’s celebrations at the final whistle smacked of not just the joy of climbing level with Pirates in the chase for second place, but also of a shot back at the side that sacked him after less than a season in charge.

Zwane can’t explain Chiefs’ bad start

“I don’t know,” was Zwane’s response on SuperSport TV when asked how he could explain his side’s slow start.

“I have always been saying that our attitude is sometimes something you cannot control, when it comes from the players. We were playing for third spot, and if we won the game we could close the gap. It should come from you (the player), maybe the game last week took a lot from us.”

Chiefs’ last hope of silverware fell away when they were beaten by Orlando Pirates in the Nedbank Cup semifinals on May 6.

“They tried in the last 15 minutes of the game (against SuperSport). It looked like we could create something out of nothing. But apart from that we were not in the game, it looked like we were going through the motions,” added Zwane.