Chiefs Keep Momentum As Silva Scores To Beat Arrows In Durban

Kaizer Chiefs secured their second-place position in the Betway Premiership after a winning goal from new signing Flavio Da Silva gave them a victory over Golden Arrows. The match took place on Saturday at a buzzing Moses Mabhida Stadium.

The Guinea-Bissau striker, who arrived with little fanfare during the offseason, rescued Chiefs with a composed finish. The Soweto giants had created several chances to put Arrows away earlier in the match. Sirino also came close to scoring but his curling shot went just wide of the target three minutes before the end of regulation time.

With this win, Chiefs moved to second place on the log with 13 points from five matches, level on points with Sekhukhune United. The team has been particularly impressive defensively, having yet to concede a goal while scoring five.

Match Analysis & Key Moments

The game was delayed by 15 minutes due to the massive crowd of fans flocking to the stadium. Chiefs, who had won three of their first four matches, were under pressure to respond after Mamelodi Sundowns had gone top of the table earlier on Saturday with a 1-0 win over Stellenbosch.

Arrows, however, made it difficult for Chiefs in the first half until Da Silva came off the bench to score the decisive goal. The support from the stands was a clear reminder of Kaizer Chiefs’ immense popularity in the PSL, despite not having won a league title since 2015.

Their attacking plays were met with loud cheers, showing that the good times might be returning to Naturena.

Early in the game, Arrows goalkeeper Xolani Ngcobo almost made a mistake with a back pass under pressure. Chiefs forward Ashley du Preez received a gift when Siphesihle Ndlovu flicked a loose ball to him, but his shot was fired straight at Ngcobo. Arrows appeared overwhelmed by Chiefs, who were first to every ball, fueled by the massive crowd.

The pressure from Chiefs led to a deflection that was cleared off the line by Keenan Phillips, who was later taken off at halftime after crashing into the post. Glody Lilepo also came close with a chipped shot that was overcooked.

However, Arrows almost caught Chiefs off guard when Sabelo Sithole sprinted clear, but Brandon Petersen made an excellent save. Arrows improved before the half, with Chiefs defender Zitha Kwinika making a last-ditch slide to block a dangerous cross from Siyanda Ndlovu.

Chiefs maintained pressure in the second half. Mdu Shabalala, recently included in the Bafana Bafana squad, broke free but the angle was too acute to score. Arrows, known for their speed, also created chances, with Sithole setting up Siyanda Ndlovu, whose shot was blocked by another outstanding stretch from Kwinika.

The breakthrough finally came in the 69th minute. Sirino made a clever cutback and Da Silva blasted the ball between Ngcobo’s legs to score on his official debut. The question now for Chiefs and their fans is whether they can sustain this momentum throughout the season.