Zimbabwe international Nyasha Mushekwi sent Mamelodi Sundowns to the top of the South African Absa Premiership table after they beat Black Leopards 2-1 at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Wednesday night.
And yesterday, Kaizer Chiefs terminated the contract of coach Vladimir Vermezovic with just seven League matches left in the season.
According to the club’s official website, “VV and the club agreed to part ways in a meeting held today (yesterday), attended by the executive chairman, a member of the board, the football manager, the coach Vladimir Vermezovic and his agent”.
The decision was taken “in order to allow both parties to prepare for the new season in good time”.
The statement continued: “The club thanks the coach for his services during his tenure at Kaizer Chiefs for the last three seasons and wishes him all the best for his future endeavours.”
Ace Khuse will take over the reins for the rest of the season, assisted by Doctor Khumalo and Arthur Zwane. Chiefs is home to Zimbabwe internationals Tinashe Nengomasha, Thomas Sweswe, Abbas Amidu, Zhaimu Jambo and Willard Katsande.
At Peter Mokaba, man-of-the-match Punch Masenamela scored first before his goal was cancelled out by Samuel Mabunda. Masenamela, though, turned provider when he created the winning goal for the Brazilians with a superb left-wing cross, which was converted by Mushekwi.
It was a memorable night for Mushekwi and his fellow Zimbabweans Method Mwanjali and veteran midfielder Esrom Nyandoro who all played the full game in the win.
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Nyandoro was sidelined for the first half of the season and is suddenly finding favour with Dutch coach Johan Neeskens as they seek to snare the league championship from defending champions Orlando Pirates.
Both teams are on 46 points with the Brazilians on top on better goal difference.
The game kicked off in the strangest fashion as Masenamela opened the scoring in only the second minute with a bit of a fortuitous goal. The Brazilians’ defender tried his luck with an unexpected 35-yard effort which worked its way through a crowd of players, wrong-footing the keeper, as it found the back of the net.
Azwindini Maphaha certainly didn’t expect the Downs left-back to let fly from that far out and was actually moving to cover his right-hand post when Masenamela took the shot.
Leopards were not to be outdone and hit back quickly, finding the equaliser 10 minutes later after Mabunda latched onto a Luyolo Mapolisa corner with powerful 12-yard header to level matters.
In the 21st minute the game found its third goal, this time goalscorer Masenamela turned creator when given too much space and time down the left flank.
The Downs man produced a pinpoint cross to find Mushekwi, who did well to get in front of his marker, and glanced the ball into the back of the net with a six-yard header. — Sports Reporter/KickOff
