DURBAN — Ten-man Kaizer Chiefs secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over AmaZulu FC at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday evening, surviving a bizarre second-half red card to solidify their position in the upper echelons of the Betway Premiership.

The decisive moment arrived in the 68th minute when DR Congo winger Glody Lilepo combination with Mfundo Vilakazi before beating AmaZulu goalkeeper Olwethu Mzimela at his near post from a tight angle. However, the goal sparked a comical turn of events as Lilepo, having already been cautioned, received a second yellow card and subsequent marching orders for removing his shirt during the wild celebrations.

The narrow victory marks consecutive league wins for the technical team of Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze, driving the third-placed Soweto giants 10 points clear of Usuthu. Conversely, the defeat halts Arthur Zwane’s side’s three-match unbeaten run, leaving fourth-placed AmaZulu with just a fragile one-point advantage over Sekhukhune United heading into the final round of fixtures.

Despite enjoying 72 per cent of the possession in a scoreless first half, Amakhosi struggled to break down a resilient home defence, with their best early opportunities coming primarily from set-pieces. Mfundo Vilakazi sent a 13th-minute free-kick over the woodwork before Nkosingiphile Ngcobo forced a smart save out of Mzimela in the 37th minute.

It was actually the home side who manufactured the more menacing chances before the interval. Sandile Mthethwa forced a sharp save from Chiefs shot-stopper Brandon Petersen as early as the eighth minute with a goalbound header from a Riaan Hanamub cross. Petersen was called into action again ten minutes before halftime, keeping the scoreline level with another crucial intervention to deny Usuthu the opener.

AmaZulu sustained their attacking momentum immediately after the restart, with Hendrick Ekstein forcing yet another fine save from the busy Petersen in the 54th minute. Chiefs responded almost immediately when full-back Reeve Frosler unleashed a powerful goalbound effort that a spectacular Mzimela tip over the crossbar.

Following Lilepo’s swift exit, the context of the game shifted as the Soweto giants focused on defending their slim advantage. Substitute forward Tashreeq Morris nearly doubled the visitors’ lead in the 84th minute, but his acute-angle strike was expertly turned away by Mzimela. Amakhosi ultimately held firm through the closing exchanges to ensure all three points returned to Johannesburg.

Both sides will wrap up their respective campaigns next weekend, with Kaizer Chiefs looking to carry this momentum into their final match, while AmaZulu face a high-stakes battle to protect their fourth-place status.