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The three-time finalists slipped down the South African conference ladder with recent losses, 42-5 to the Sharks and 31-20 to the Brumbies.
But they reasserted themselves with a typical Lions performance, strong in the forwards, sound in defence but not without enterprise in the backs.
After being dormant for almost three quarters of the match, the Chiefs scored three tries in the last quarter of the match, putting pressure on the Lions.
But the visitors held out for an important away win, which followed their 36-32 win over the Chiefs in their previous meeting in Hamilton in 2016.
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“What a game,” Lions captain Warren Whiteley said.
“Credit to the Chiefs, I thought they were phenomenal.
“In that second half they put so much pressure on us and it was a nail-biter.”
The Lions had almost total possession in the first 15 minutes and used it well, at one stage carrying the ball almost the length of the field before losing it under the Chiefs’ goal posts.
All Blacks prop Angus Ta’avao was under constant pressure on the loosehead side of the Chiefs scrum.
They let the scrum collapse repeatedly in the first half, giving up a 28th minute penalty which Elton Jantjies converted for a 6-0 lead.
Tighthead Carlu Sadie was driven over the line in the 35th minute for a try which gave the Lions a 13-0 lead.
The Chiefs seemed unable to mount any coherent attack in the first three quarters of the match.
MATCH CENTRE: Scores, stats and highlights
But around the 60th minute, as if a switch had been thrown, they began to stretch the Lions defence.
First scrumhalf Brad Weber broke down an unguarded blindside from an under- pressure scrum and set up a try for winger Sean Wainui.
Three minutes later Jantjies muffed a clearing kick and the Chiefs score again through prop Nepo Laulala after a strong run by Luke Jacobson.
The Lions retained a 20-10 lead as fulltime approached and the outcome seemed certain until flyhalf Marty McKenzie put in an brilliant kick for centre Alex Nankivell in the 76th minute which created a try for Tumua Manu and made the score 20-17.
Under unexpected pressure, the Lions held out and sealed their win with a late drop goal to Jantjies, who finished with 13 points from a flawless goalkicking performance.
LIONS 23 (Aphiwe Dyantyi, Carlu Sadie tries; Elton Jantjies 2 con, 2 pen, drop goal) CHIEFS 17 (Nepo Laulala, Tumua Manu, Sean Wainui tries; Marty McKenzie con)
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