Chippa United defeated Marumo Gallants 1-0 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday afternoon to move into the top eight of the DStv Premiership.
The Chilli Boys struck early in the second half via substitute Ronaldo Maarman for their third win of the season, with the three points pushing them up to eighth spot on 11 points.
As for Bahlabane Ba Ntwa, they remain the only team with zero wins to their name in the league thus far and are now dead-level with bottom-of-the-log Sekhukhune United – both teams have six points and a minus-two goal difference, though Gallants have played one game more.
Chippa enjoyed a little more of the ball through the first half, with the likes of Siphesihle Mkhize, Thabiso Lebitso and Siphelele Luthuli recycling the ball well and generally pinning Marumo back in their own half.
Yet Gallants did present a threat on the counter through the pace of Sede Dion and Katlego Otladisa, as well as the precise passing of Celimpilo Ngema and Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo.
Chances were few and far between in the opening half hour, but the teams started to open up a little in the latter stages of the first half. Chippa’s Thulani Mini curled an effort just wide of the mark on 34 minutes, while Gallants’ Dion fired a shot on target a short while before the break but was stymied by a fine save from goalkeeper Lloyd Kazapua.
The final chance of the half went the way of the Chilli Boys, with defender Trevor Mathiane getting on the end of a free-kick from Luthuli before putting his header over the crossbar to leave the scoreline blank at the break.
Chippa opted for a change at the start of the second stanza – introducing Ronaldo Maarman – and the attacker vindicated the decision with a strike past goalkeeper Ismael Watenga to open the scoring on 51 minutes.
This signalled a spell of dominance for the hosts, who should have added to their advantage through chances for Lebitso (who shot wide with the goal at his mercy) and Luthuli (who put a header over the target).
Gallants responded by throwing on Letsie Koapeng and Cheick Soumaro to try and turn things around, but Chippa had the next big chance on 74 minutes when Maarman struck direct from a free-kick and saw his effort rebound off the woodwork.
The goal scorer continued to look dangerous, forcing a fine save from substitute goalkeeper Washington Arubi in the dying stages, while Gallants’ best chance saw Ndlondlo sky an effort over the target to sum up their frustration and lack of potency in attack.
The teams will return to DStv Premiership action next month, with Gallants away to TS Galaxy on 4 October and Chippa visiting Cape Town City on 9 October.
Chippa United (0) 1 (Maarman 51’)
Marumo Gallants 0
Chippa: Kazapua, Mdunyelwa, Pietersen, Mathiane, Pfumbidzai, Mini (Maarman 46’), Mkhize, Lebitso, Luthuli, Matrose (Kammies 87’), Kambindu (Poggenpoel 70’)
Gallants: Watenga (Arubi 51’), Khiba, Nkili, Hlatshwayo, Mabotja, Mohomi, Ndlondlo, Ngema, Makudubela, Otladisa (Soumaro 59’), Dion (Koapeng 63’)