Black Leopards collected their first silverware by beating Kaizer Chiefs 5-4 in their Limpopo Soccer Challenge match that was played at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Sunday.

Not only were Chiefs putting their new players to test on Sunday, but it was also a debut match for their new coach, Mr Muhshin Ertugral.

The game was lukewarm at first as the teams were still studying each other, but it became hot as they approached the halfway mark. The referee, Jonas Nhlapo, booked the Chiefs’ centre back, Derrick Spencer, for the application of dirty tricks in the 19th minute.

The Leopards’ keeper, Mashudu Mamphitha, impressed everyone at the stadium when he saved what could have been the Amakhosi´s winning goal towards the end of the first half. He stretched to the far right corner to save Tsepo Bulu’s ground cutter.

Both sides introduced a number of new faces early in the last half. Leopards replaced Thabiso Hlalele, Myron Shongwe, Fisher Kondowe and Wanani Mulaudzi with Fernando Matola, Sibusiso Dlamini, Chris Netshidzivhe and Robert Ngambi respectively.

Sibusiso Dlamini was unfortunate when his first touch of the ball resulted in a nose injury. He collided head-on with the Chiefs’ defender, Jimmy Tau. The collision resulted in the two players exchanging bitter words as Dlamini was accusing Tau of recklessness.

Chiefs looked hungry for goals in the last 10 minutes of the game, while Lidoda Duvha were chasing action. The Leopards’ keeper denied the visitors from Gauteng three obvious goals in the dying minutes. The score was still 0-0 at the end of normal time.

No extra time was added and the winner was determined through penalty shootout. The Thohoyandou outfit converted all their five chances via Jabulani Maluleke, Fernando Matola, Eric Ramavhale, Nono Lubumbazio and Chris Netshidzivhe, while Derrick Spencer disappointed the Chiefs fans by shooting straight to the keeper.