Kaizer Chiefs 3-0 Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila: In-form Amakhosi edge closer to Orlando Pirates

Kaizer Chiefs made it three wins in a row in the PSL when they thrashed a hapless Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila 3-0 at FNB Stadium on Tuesday evening.

Goals from Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, Lebogang Manyama and Happy Mashiane inspired the Soweto giants to a well-deserved victory in the City of Gold. 

Amakhosi were looking to continue their resurgence in the league having recorded their second successive win when they defeated Cape Town City 2-1 away over the weekend.

Happy Mashiane was surprisingly dropped to the bench despite having netted against City as coach Gavin Hunt made two changes to the team which faced the Citizens.

On the other hand, Vhadau Vha Damani were desperate to snap their seven-match winless run in the league having suffered a 1-0 defeat to Lamontville Golden Arrows away over the weekend.

Hunt's counterpart, Joel Masutha made five changes to the team which took on Arrows with Meshack Maphangule and Lerato Lamola amongst the players, who were returning to the starting line-up.

Chiefs were forced to make a change just 15 minutes into the match after stand-in captain Ramahlwe Mphahlele, who has been in top form lately, picked up an injury and he was replaced by Njabulo Blom.

However, this did not deter Amakhosi as they broke the deadlock four minutes later and it was a moment of brilliance by Nkosingiphile Ngcobo.

The 21-year-old starlet flipped the ball over Nicholus Lukhubeni, before volleying the ball past goalkeeper Washington Arubi to make it 1-0 to Chiefs - it was his scoring goal in as many league games.

Vhadau Vha Damani were nearly gifted a goal by Darrel Matsheke, who played a poor back pass to Daniel Akpeyi in the Amakhosi goal-posts. 

However, Akpeyi was alert as the Nigeria international reacted quickly and gathered the ball before Thabo Rakhale could pounce and hit the back of the net.

The introduction of Blom had crowded Chiefs' midfield as he played alongside Matsheke, Ngcobo and Daniel Cardoso, who operated as a defensive midfielder. 

Therefore, Tshakhuma were outnumbered in the middle of the pack which saw the visitors struggle to create chances and the score was 0-0 at the interval.

Amakhosi continued to dominate after the restart and Samir Nurkovic came close to scoring his first goal of the season when his headed effort went inches wide of the target.

With the Tshakhuma defence looking compact and impenetrable, Hunt introduced an attack-minded duo of Lebogang Lesako and Mashiane. 

However, Lesako picked up an injury just after the hour-mark and the 21-year-old attacker was replaced by the experienced Lebogang Manyama.

Manyama made an immediate impact as he scored with his first touch from Mashiane's cross to make it 2-0 to Chiefs six minutes after hour-mark.

Tshakhuma were then reduced to 10 players after Alfred Ndengane was sent off after receiving his second yellow card the match in the closing stages of the game.

Chiefs took advantage of their numerical advantage over Tshakhuma as Manyama played a through pass for Mashiane, who beat Arubi to make it 3-0 to the hosts in the last minute.

Hunt's side also finished the game with 10 players as Benard Parker was shown a straight red card in stoppage time after making reckless challenge.

The win saw Chiefs climb up to seventh place - a point behind their arch-rivals Orlando Pirates and Amakhosi will be in action on Saturday as they take on Stellenbosch FC.

While Tshakhuma remained 16th on the log and the struggling Limpopo-based side is set to take on SuperSport United on Sunday.