Nico rue missed chances in Chiefs defeat

Kabelo Boranabi | Tuesday September 15, 2026 10:02

Kgaswane felt Nico controlled much of the contest, but were punished for the mistakes he had warned his players about before the match.

“We controlled the game throughout the whole 90 minutes, we just could not score. We had chances that we could have scored, we could have scored two goals,” he said.

The defeat was decided by two moments of defensive uncertainty, with Mpho Kgaswane opening the scoring from the penalty spot in the 12th minute.

The Chiefs captain then completed his brace in the 65th minute following an assist from fellow winter signing, Kennedy Da Costa.

Kgaswane revealed that he had anticipated that mistakes would be the route through which Chiefs could hurt his side.

“But I told them that the way Centre Chiefs plays, the only way for them to score is when we made mistakes and rightfully they scored through our mistakes,” the coach said.

Nico's inability to convert their chances ultimately proved costly as Chiefs grew into the match after taking the lead.

For Kgaswane, the result was therefore, less a reflection of Chiefs' superiority and more of an indication of Nico's failure to capitalise on the opportunities they created.

The result will be particularly frustrating for Nico, who showed enough in possession to trouble Chiefs, but lacked the finishing required to turn their periods of control into goals.

For Chiefs, meanwhile, it was a welcome result built around the contribution of their high-profile new signing.

Kgaswane's brace opens his league account for Magosi and provides an early glimpse of why his arrival was one of the biggest moves of the winter transfer window.

The teams:

Chiefs: Keeagile Kgosipula, Kgosietsile Ernest, Kgotso Phuti, Mosha Gaolaolwe, Shanganani Ngada, Phenyo Serameng, Mpho Kgaswane (C), Kelvin Ndebele, Omphile Vissagie, Kennedy Da Costa, Evans Rusike

Nico: Karamelo Kgosipula, Bokang Kwarare, Kago Monyake, Tumisang Mokopi (C), Freedman Molosi, Botshelo Mangena, Ballie Kamara, Ototeng Dintwa, Ebenezer Offei, Onkabetse Makgantai, Moabi Phuthego.

Chiefs 2 (Kgaswane 12th pen, Kgaswane 65th) Nico 0