Katsande scores a beauty

Zimbabwe international midfielder Willard Katsande scored a beauty to help Kaizer Chiefs beat Free State Stars 3-1 in a South African Premier Soccer League tie at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on Tuesday night.

And leading South African sports journalist Neal Collins immediately hailed Katsande saying the Zimbabwean enforcer remains the best player in Super Diski.

“Then you don’t have football in your soul. @WillardKatsande is the enforcer who can do ballet too. Best player in PSL, said it 3 years ago,” Collins said on Twitter.

The victory took Amakhosi to position three on the league standings, while Ea Lla Koto remain 14th on the table.

Amakhosi enjoyed some ball possession in the Ea Lla Koto half in the opening stages of the encounter as they looked to penetrate the Stars defence and grab an early goal.

However, the visitors looked solid at the back until they conceded a free-kick just outside their box in the 18th minute as Chiefs continued to push for the opening goal.

Chiefs’ free-kick specialist Siphiwe Tshabalala, who is a former Stars midfielder, then stepped up and beat Stars goalkeeper Thela Ngobeni with a curling effort to make it 1-0 to the home side.

Amakhosi were now oozing with confidence and they continued to press the Stars defence in search of more goals in front of their vocal supporters.

Edmore Chirambadare ran onto a through pass into the Ea Lla Koto box and he was fouled by Stars goalkeeper Ngobeni which resulted into a Chiefs penalty just before the half-hour mark.

Former Chiefs keeper Ngobeni did brilliantly to deny Bernard Parker from the spot-kick, but the former South Africa international fired home the rebound to make it 2-0 to the home side.

Serame Letsoaka’s men did push forward in numbers in search of the equalising goal with the half-time break fast approaching.

Mohammed Anas was unfortunate not to pull one back for Stars four minutes before half-time, but he saw his strike deflect onto the upright and Chiefs held on until the referee blew the half-time whistle.

Ea Lla Koto began the second-half lively pressing Amakhosi as they looked to score their first goal, but Chiefs keeper Itumeleng Khune pulled off decent saves from Stars’ long range shots.

Chiefs head coach Steve Komphela responded by introducing Italian striker Gustavo Paez, who joined the Soweto giants during the recent January Transfer Window, in the 58th minute.

It was soon 3-0 to Chiefs five minutes later when defensive midfielder Katsande dribbled past two Stars players inside the box, before firing home after Stars had failed to clear away a corner-kick.

Stars were awarded a free-kick in a promising area in the 72nd minute and Rooi Mahamutsa stepped up and beat Khune with a low shot from the set-piece to make it 3-1.The Herald