Daniel Akpeyi was breached three times in the first-half against Bloemfontein Celtic in the PSL on Saturday, but like they’ve been all season, Kaizer Chiefs roared back and so did the Nigerian goalkeeper.
Trailing 2-3 at the interval, Chiefs stepped it up and shut out their opponents, hit the throttle and scored three second-half goals to pick maximum points at home and carry on coasting atop the table.
A brilliant team performance and the heroics of Samir Nurkovic, who netted a hat-trick, saw Ernst Middendorp’s men maintain a 10 points gap with a game in hand.
The first 45 minutes was a ding dong affair and produced five goals, with the visitors drawing first blood through Ndumiso Mabena (13′).
Nurkovic responded for the hosts (21′), but they were soon on the back foot again and trailing as Harris Tchilimbou (24′) restored Bloem Celtic’s lead.
Kaizer turned once again to their Serbian goal machine to restore parity and he did in the 31st minute.
But the defensive teething problem Middendorp’s team have shown in the past weeks became full blown and Siphele Luthuli’s goal in the 35th minute left the leaders kicking themselves.
But like a boxer who goes back to his corner after the bell, the half-time team talk must have lite the fire in the belly of Amakhosi and the players came out smoking hot.
Three minutes into the second-half and they are level again, this time another goalscorer registered his name.
Leonardo Castro in the 48 minute started Chiefs’ party for the rest of the game and Nurkovic completed his hat-trick in the 61st minute before Castro rounded it up in the 71st.
They have now extended their winning run in the league eight games.
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