Kaizer Chiefs left frustrated by bottom‑placed Chippa United as Amakhosi miss chance to move up to PSL third place

Kaizer Chiefs dictated much of the tempo in the opening exchanges, circulating the ball with confidence and pinning Chippa United deep inside their own half. Yet the Eastern Cape side proved stubborn in defence, closing down spaces around the penalty area and denying Amakhosi any clear route to goal. The Chilli Boys were content to absorb the pressure, sitting deep and frustrating Chiefs’ attempts to break them down. 

The best chance of the half arrived in the 33rd minute when Asanele Velebayi produced a clever delivery to the far post, finding Flavio Da Silva in space. With only goalkeeper Dumisani Msibi to beat, the striker leaned back and fired over the crossbar, spurning what should have been the breakthrough. 

That miss summed up a frustrating first period for Chiefs, who, despite their dominance in possession, were forced to settle for a goalless stalemate as the sides headed into the halftime interval locked at 0‑0.

Early in the second half, Chiefs maintained their dominance, pressing forward with intent and forcing Chippa deeper into their own territory. Nkosingiphile Ngcobo came close to breaking the deadlock with a powerful strike that was brilliantly punched away by Msibi. Chippa, meanwhile, continued to sit back, occasionally springing forward to test Chiefs’ defensive line.

With the game opening up in the latter stages, both sides pushed hard in search of a decisive late winner. Chiefs kept probing, while Chippa looked to exploit rare counter‑attacking opportunities, but neither team could find the breakthrough. The final whistle confirmed a 0-0 stalemate, leaving Amakhosi frustrated in fifth place on the league table, while Chippa’s struggles continued as they remained anchored to the bottom in 16th position.

Although his evening was cut short by substitution, Velebayi left a lasting impression as one of Chiefs’ brightest sparks in attack. The former Cape Town Spurs captain carried himself with confidence and urgency, constantly stretching the play down the flank and asking questions of Chippa’s defence.   

His pace, direct running, and willingness to take on markers made him a persistent outlet whenever Amakhosi looked to break forward. Time and again, Velebayi’s movement created openings that unsettled the backline and his delivery from wide areas carried the promise of a breakthrough. It was the kind of performance that hinted at greater influence had he remained on the pitch longer.

As the hosts, Chippa never truly imposed themselves on the contest, struggling to dictate the tempo or carve out sustained periods of dominance. Instead, their approach was cautious and reactive, with the side content to sit deep, soak up wave after wave of Chiefs’ possession and wait patiently for opportunities to break forward on the counter. For long stretches, the Chilli Boys offered little in the way of attacking threat, their defensive shape holding firm but their forward play lacking ambition.  

It took until the 67th minute for the home crowd to see a moment that genuinely tested the opposition goalkeeper. Chiefs’ shot‑stopper Brandon Petersen, largely untroubled up to that point, was finally called into action when Chippa managed to carve out a rare attempt on goal.

While most of the teams have drawn the curtain on their 2025 campaigns, the Glamour Boys still have one final assignment to complete before the year closes. Chiefs will travel to the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit for a Sunday showdown against TS Galaxy on December 7, a fixture that offers them one last opportunity to sharpen their edge and solidify momentum before the calendar turns.

For Amakhosi, this clash carries added weight as it bridges the transition into a quieter period. Once the final whistle blows in Nelspruit, the Soweto giants will step into the Africa Cup of Nations recess, a stretch of weeks that promises both rest and recalibration.   

Unlike many of their rivals, Chiefs will not be heavily depleted by international call‑ups, with only Mduduzi Shabalala named on Bafana Bafana’s standby list. That limited disruption ensures the squad can regroup with cohesion intact, using the break to refine strategies, recover bodies and prepare for the demanding fixtures that await in the new year.