Chiefs snatch dramatic draw against Zamalek following keeper blunder

Kaizer Chiefs secured a dramatic last-gasp 1-1 draw against Egyptian giants Zamalek SC at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, salvaging a crucial point after staring down the barrel of a second consecutive Group D defeat in the CAF Confederation Cup.

The draw, following last weekend’s 2-1 loss against Al-Masry, means the Amakhosi finally earn their first point of the group stage campaign. Despite the immediate relief, Chiefs face mounting pressure to secure positive results in their remaining fixtures to stand any chance of reaching the knockout stages. The match was a tense affair that saw Chiefs avoid a historic first home defeat against an Egyptian side.

Early Goal and Injury Setbacks For Chiefs

The match got off to a disastrous start for the Glamour Boys. Just three minutes into the encounter, Zamalek found the back of the net when forward Seifeddine Jaziri converted a close-range effort following a set-piece situation, stunning the home crowd.

Chiefs attempted an immediate response, with Gastón Sirino rattling the right post with a spectacular shot from range in the 6th minute. However, the first half was defined by disruptive injury issues. Defender Bradley Cross was forced off after 14 minutes, followed shortly by Sirino himself in the 19th minute. These early changes saw Paseka Mako and Mfundo Vilakazi introduced far sooner than anticipated, forcing co-coach Cedric Kaze to hastily alter his tactics.

Despite the disruption, Chiefs continued to create chances, consistently winning corners in the final minutes of the first half, though they failed to convert any into a genuine threat.

The pattern of the game continued into the second half: Kaizer Chiefs pushed forward, generated opportunities, but ultimately lacked the cutting edge required to breach the well-organised Zamalek defence.

Chiefs made further attacking substitutions in the 73rd minute, bringing on Flávio Silva and Nkosingiphile Ngcobo for Etiosa Ighodaro and Sibongiseni Mthethwa, respectively, in a clear move to increase firepower.

Mfundo Vilakazi tried his luck from a direct free-kick in the 62nd minute, sending his left-footed shot high and wide. The home side’s best chance to level the score came late in the game when Dillan Solomons missed the target with a right-footed shot from the centre of the box in the 78th minute.

Zamalek goalkeeper Mohamed Sobhi suffered a costly blunder forced by the pressure of Dillan Solomons, resulting in an own goal to level the match at 1-1. While it looked like an own goal, the strike was directly attributed to Solomons’ persistent attacking effort, securing his second goal of the campaign after scoring against Al-Masry last weekend.

The dramatic late point, while mitigating the damage of a second loss, highlights the challenge facing Kaizer Chiefs in Group D. The result leaves the Amakhosi needing a sharp upturn in performance. Zamalek left Polokwane disappointed, having lost a certain three points deep into added time.