Willard Katsande of Kaizer Chiefs is challenged by Kurt Lentjies of Maritzburg United during the MTN8 Quarter Final between Kaizer Chiefs and Maritzburg United on 05 August 2015 at FNB Stadium. Image: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix.
Kaizer Chiefs have opened their MTN8 title defense with a winning start at the expense of debutants Maritzburg United, formerly coached by current Chiefs coach Steve Komphela. On the night, Komphela’s men won 5-3 in extra time after regulation time ended 3-3 in a match played at the FNB stadium on Wednesday night. It all started in the 8th minute when new signing Siyanda Xulu and Ivan Bukenya had a defensive error which caused Kurt Lentjies to round the Chiefs keeper Reyaad Pieterse and score the opening goal of the game, making it 1-0 to Maritzburg united. From there on, the Soweto giants dominated play but could not find the back of the net after numerous chances at goal.
This resulted in a second goal from the KZN side, this time through debutant Thamsanqa Teyise in the dying minutes of half time through a header from a corner kick. The game went to half time 2-0 to United.
In the second half Chiefs started with a goal after two minutes from star player George Lebese after a cross from defender Siboniso Gaxa. In the 50th minute Chiefs missed a glorious opportunity to draw level but two minutes later Bernard Parker capitalized to bring the game back in level terms.
Right on the hour mark Chiefs was playing marvelous football, which resulted in George Lebese scoring his 2nd goal of the game and a third for his side, making it 3-2. As Chiefs were in the lead it then happened that Siyanda Xulu headed the ball over his own keeper Pieterse after a ball from Ryan De Jongh.
Chiefs could have easily kept their lead right into the end but the game ended 3-3 after 90 minutes. Into extra time Xulu acrobatically scored an extra-time goal in the 114th minute to make up for his mistakes with an amazing goal, making it 4-3 to Komphela’s side. Just when it looked as if the game was going to end 4-3 to Chiefs or Maritzburg would equalise, Hendrick Ekstein of Kaizer Chiefs made it 5-3 when he got the fifth and final goal for his team in the dying minutes of extra time to send them straight into the MTN8 semifinals.
