Kaizer Chiefs got off to a winning start in the Betway Premiership 2025/26 season with a 2-0 victory over 10-man Stellenbosch FC at the Athlone Stadium on Sunday evening.
The Soweto giants, who were without coach Nasreddine Nabi due to a family emergency, will play host to Polokwane City at the FNB Stadium on 13 August.
✅- Two goals.
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) August 10, 2025
✅- Clean sheet.
✅- Three points.
Amakhosi are up and running for the 2025/26 #BetwayPrem season ✌️⚽#SSDiski pic.twitter.com/n8WyZL0UZR
Stellies, on the other hand, registered their maiden defeat of the campaign, having defeated AmaZulu FC in the MTN8 last weekend.
Coach Steve Barker's side will also be in action on August 13 when they face Magesi FC.
Amakhosi exerted pressure on Stellies' defence from the start and the hosts were reduced to 10 players after Siviwe Nkwali was shown a straight red card in the 13th minute for denying the visitors a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
Chiefs took advantage of their numerical superiority over Stellenbosch when they broke the deadlock in the 15th minute.
Nkosingiphile Ngcobo hit the back of the net with a magnificent free-kick and Chiefs were leading 1-0 at halftime.
Awu- i-Candyshop madoda 🍬
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) August 10, 2025
Nkosingiphile Ngcobo enters his name for the #BetwayPrem Goal of the Month with his first attempt on goal 🔥
📺 Stream on DStv: https://t.co/B0jLrQW5cc@McDonalds_SA pic.twitter.com/M05Hx0LLDQ
Stellies were fearless after the restart as they attacked in numbers, but they were left vulnerable at the back.
Wandile Duba and Glody Lilepo missed sitters in the 67th minute and 74th minute, respectively.
Amakhosi continued to threaten in the latter stages of the game and they were awarded a penalty in stoppage time after Ashley Du Preez was fouled in the box by Omega Mdaka.
Lilepo stepped up and converted the resultant penalty to seal Chiefs' 2-0 win.
Stellenbosch (0) 0
Chiefs (1) 2 (Ngcobo 15', Lilepo 90'+6)
Stellenbosch: Stephens, Moloisane, Enyinnaya, Nkwali, Mdaka, Butsaka (Jabaar 62'), Palace, Barns (Mcaba 71'), Cupido (Khanyi 62'), De Jong (Nku 62'), Titus (Lekoloane 71')
Chiefs: Petersen, Cross, McCarthy, Miguel, Monyane, Cele (Ndlovu 75'), Ngcobo (Mthethwa 46'), Shabalala (Sirino 75'), Duba (Vilakazi 81'), Lilepo, Hlongwane (Du Preez 57')