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The focal heading into the Kaizer Chiefs and Chippa United league clash at FNB Stadium on Saturday was on Gavin Hunt coming up against his former club for the first time since he was axed by Amakhosi early this year.
With this in mind, some anticipated that Hunt would prove a point with a Chippa side that was as desperate for the three points as Chiefs was.
The Amakhosi faithful, however, expected Hunt to be the last person to spoil the party for Chiefs founder Kaizer Motaung.
“Chincha Guluva”, as Motaung is popularly known, turned 77 yesterday.
In tsotsi taal, there is a saying: “Alles is double-dolly,” which loosely translates to “all is good”.
It was somewhat fitting that the team’s marquee signing Keagan Dolly delivered the ideal gift for his boss when the attacking midfielder bagged a first-half brace to ensure that everything was double-dolly for Kaizer.
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The goals in the 12th and 31st minutes – and later strikes from Khama Billiat and Lazarous Kambole in the second half – will ease the pressure on Amakhosi head coach Stuart Baxter, who last guided the team to a victory nearly two months ago.
Saturday's win – a second in seven matches – snapped a winless run that spanned four games.
Chiefs last tasted victory with their 2-1 triumph over Baroka FC on August 25.
The positive signs were there from the start for Chiefs. They played with purpose and their rotation of the ball was easy on the eye.
Even the team’s normally suspect defence was on point, despite an odd blooper that goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi cleaned up late in the opening half.
In contrast, Chippa struggled to gel and Chiefs never really gave them room to conjure up decent play.
Even after the visitors had regrouped, it was clear that it was not be for the Chilli Boys, as Thokozani Sekotlong was denied from close range by Akpeyi after the striker had capitalised on a defensive blunder by Mulomowandawu Mathoho on the hour mark.
Even the introduction of attackers Mogakolodi Ngele and Eva Nga Bienvenu in the second half failed to breach the Amakhosi rearguard, which held up for its third clean slate of the season.
Instead, Baxter responded to Chippa’s substitution by bringing in defensive player Anthony Agay to manage the game for the home side.
For Hunt, whose contract with Chiefs was terminated in May after a string of poor results, the struggle continues even at Chippa as his side slumped through a sixth league game without a win.
Chippa went into yesterday’s match with an identical record as Chiefs, having won just once in their opening six matches.
But it was Baxter who brought a rare smile thanks to the exploits of Dolly and Billiat, who once again demonstrated their good understanding in the Chiefs front line.
Billiat provided the assist for the opening goal that Dolly expertly curled away from Chippa goalkeeper Rashid Watenga.
Dolly, who joined Chiefs prior to the start of the current season after a spell at Montpellier in France, returned the favour when he set up Billiat for the third goal, and he was also involved in the build-up to the fourth net in injury time.
Still, the job for Chiefs was complete on the half-hour mark, when Dolly sprung the offside trap to bag his brace – and his third goal in a row for Amakhosi.
Chippa’s horrible day was compounded by the sending off of their second assistant coach Roy Limongelli, who was red-carded for dissent just before the half-time break.
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