Betway Premiership: Stellenbosch Came From a Goal Down to Defeat Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium
Kaizer Chiefs struggle in the Betway Premiership continues as they stumbled to another defeat against Stellenbosch FC this season.
The Glamour Boys sufered a 2-1 home defeat against the Stellies at the FNB Stadium on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. It is the third time they are losing against the Maroons this season in al competitions.
The Stellies knocked Amakhosi out of the Nedbank Cup in the Round of 32 and also in the eliminated them in the Carling Knockout Cup.
Stellenbosch defeat Kaizer Chiefs
Kaizer Chiefs co-coaches sprung a surprise in their starting line-up by handing summer signing Ethan Chislett his first competitive start after only featuring during pre-season preparations. Ashley du Preez was also restored to the lineup, replacing Pule Mmodi.
PAY ATTENTION: stay informed and follow us on Google News!
Du Preez came close to marking his return with an early goal inside the first 10 minutes, finishing off a delivery from Flavio da Silva. However, the effort was ruled out after the former Stellenbosch forward was flagged offside.
The opening half largely saw Chiefs dominate possession, while Stellenbosch opted for a defensive approach, absorbing sustained pressure. Goalkeeper Sage Stephens played a crucial role in keeping the visitors in the contest, producing key saves to deny both Da Silva and Chislett.
Unimpressed with his team’s performance in the first half-hour, Stellenbosch mentor Gavin Hunt responded with a tactical adjustment, sacrificing full-back Wayde Jooste to introduce midfielder Chumani Butsaka in an attempt to regain control.
Chiefs finally broke the deadlock ten minutes before the interval. Glody Lilepo burst down the right flank and delivered a precise ball into the area for Da Silva, who forced it over the line to claim his fifth league goal of the season. The breakthrough came shortly after Du Preez had wasted a clear-cut opportunity inside the box.
Du Preez was ultimately punished for those squandered chances in the first half, as in-form Stellenbosch FC winger Langelihle Phili struck his seventh league goal of the campaign few minutes after restart. The forward now sits just two goals shy of Golden Arrows marksman Sede Dion, who leads the Golden Boot standings with nine, after being expertly set up by the ever-influential Devin Titus.
The contest showed early signs of developing into an open, end-to-end battle, particularly with Gavin Hunt’s men urgently chasing points to distance themselves from the unexpected relegation concerns that have plagued their season.
However, the spectacle lacked sustained quality for extended spells. Both teams were guilty of repeatedly surrendering possession, and the lively early backing from the home crowd gradually gave way to a more anxious and restrained atmosphere.
As the match edged towards its conclusion, Titus — who memorably scored a wonder goal in Cape Town when Stellies knocked Chiefs out of the Nedbank Cup — emerged once again, delivering the decisive strike to silence the Amakhosi supporters.
The loss sees Chiefs slip out of the top three, now trailing Sekhukhune United and sitting eight points behind log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, who secured a 1–0 victory over AmaZulu FC at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Meanwhile, Stellies climbed to 11th position, opening up a five-point cushion over 15th-placed ORBIT College FC — despite the latter having played one match more — with ORBIT currently occupying the relegation play-off berth.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
