Kaizer Chiefs turn the tables on Sundowns

Kaizer Chiefs continued a bright start to the South African Premiership season with a 2-1 home victory over Mamelodi Sundowns Wednesday. Success at 2010 FIFA World Cup™ final Venue Soccer City was particularly sweet for the most popular football club in the country as they were humiliated 4-1 by the same opponents in a season-opening cup tie this month. Siyabonga Nkosi is revelling in his second spell at Chiefs, scoring in the 6-0 league demolition of AmaZulu, and netting the first goal against Sundowns before creating the second. The midfielder raced on to a throw-in and fired the ball across goalkeeper Wayne Sandilands into the far corner on 52 minutes to end the stalemate after Sundowns shaded the first-half exchanges. Nkosi played a pivotal role in the second half six minutes later, heading a deep corner from Siphiwe Tshabalala back across the goalmouth and Zimbabwean Kingston Nkhatha nodded in. But any thoughts Chiefs had of cruising to victory in the second round game quickly disappeared as a Clayton Daniels shot came back off the far post, hit goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune and rolled into the net. Seeking a first league title since 2005, Chiefs fired Serb coach Vladimir Vermezovic after three largely unsuccessful seasons and hired England-born former South Africa and Finland manager Stuart Baxter. Orlando Pirates, arch rivals of Chiefs for four decades and winners of the last two title races, played a second 0-0 draw against SuperSport United within four days in northern city Polokwane. After also failing to score in a Top 8 semi-final at the same venue last Sunday, the clubs clash for a third time Saturday in the second leg of the cup competition for the top eight finishers of the previous championship. Moroka Swallows, league runners-up to Pirates last season, put a first round loss behind them by defeating Ajax Cape Town 3-1 in Soweto thanks to a spectacular late comeback. Veteran Siyabonga Nomvethe, leading league scorer last season with 20 goals, struck twice in the final four minutes after Katlego Mashego had cancelled the 70th-minute lead Lebogang Manyama gave the visitors. Promoted Pretoria University followed up a home draw by winning 1-0 at Golden Arrows courtesy of a first half header from Mpho Maruping and a second half goal from Rodney Ramagalela earned Black Leopards a 2-2 draw at Bidvest Wits. FIFA