Cape Town — Royal AM remain the only team in the DStv Premiership with a perfect record after they cruised to a 3-1 victory over Chippa United at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Wednesday night.
A first-half brace from Andre de Jong put Dan Malesela's side in command at the break and Ruzaigh Gamildien wrapped up the win shortly after Diego Appollis had briefly halved the deficit with 15 minutes remaining.
Mamelodi Sundowns' defeat on the same evening meant that Thwihli Thwahla moved to the top of the table, two points clear of the chasing pack, while the Chilli Boys dropped to 13th place after picking up just one point from their opening two matches.
Buoyed by their triumph over Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday, Royal looked to take the fight to Chippa in Gqeberha, but it was the hosts who threatened first when Andile Mbenyane fired just wide of the goal from range in the 12th minute.
The KZN outfit began to probe away at the opposition defence and Kabelo Mahlasela attempted a long-range shot that drifted to the right of the target in the 14th minute before De Jong sent a free-kick narrowly past the right post midway through the first half.
The New Zealander made no mistake with his next chance at the half-hour mark, however, as he collected the ball from Mxolisi Macuphu inside the area and slotted home into the bottom left corner of the net to break the deadlock.
De Jong was celebrating again 11 minutes later when he converted a header at close range from a free-kick to give the visitors a two-goal lead heading into the halftime interval.
Chippa were unfortunate not to pull one back nine minutes after the restart as Abdi Banda saw his header come back off the left post after getting on the end of Etiosa Ighodaro's free-kick.
Roscoe Pietersen also came close with a header that was saved by substitute goalkeeper Mondli Mpoto on 69 minutes, but the goal they were threatening eventually arrived on 75 minutes when Appollis guided Sirgio Kammies' cross into the roof of the net with his head.
However, their joy was quickly extinguished as Gamildien restored Royal's two-goal cushion moments later with a strike from inside the area.
Daine Klate's team nearly hit back shortly afterwards in a flurry of action, although Kewen Prince was alert to the danger to keep out Thulani Mini's shot from outside the area.
Appollis was presented with a late chance to grab another goal and set up a grandstand finish, but his shot could only find the side-netting at the near post.
IOL Sport