/ 25 March 2004

Chiefs held to a draw

Title-chasing Kaizer Chiefs were held to a disappointing 0-0 draw by relegation-haunted Silver Stars in their Castle Premiership clash played at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace outside Rustenburg on Wednesday night.

But the late arrival of fans for the second successive Chiefs midweek match forced the organisers to delay the kick-off. The match started 20 minutes late. The stadium at that stage was not even half full.

Last Wednesday the late arrival of supporters at the Chiefs-Ajax Cape Town game at Newlands caused that match to start 45 minutes late.

Chiefs looked the better side in the first half but struggled to get past the well-marshalled Stars defence. Chiefs’ best opportunity came in the 15th minute when striker David Radebe was narrowly wide when he connected a clever corner from Junior Khanye.

Stars opted to hit Chiefs on the counterattack and their best effort was a shot from Edward Williams on 38 minutes, which goalkeeper Brian Baloyi did well to save.

Baloyi did well again two minutes after the restart when he pulled off a good reflex save from a close-range header from Oscar Ntwagae.

Stars ‘keeper Uche Akubike tipped a Junior Khanye shot over his crossbar two minutes later. Akubike pulled off a brilliantly close-range save from a goal-bound header from John ”Shoes” Moshoeu in the 72nd minute.

Stars almost snatched a late winner but a match-winning save from Baloyi denied Stars striker Dingane Masanabo a goal in the 84th minute. — Sapa