Wounded Amakhosi rescue some pride

● Gustavo Paez and Dumisani Zuma goals helped a wounded Kaizer Chiefs repair their dented pride as they beat an on-form Maritzburg United at an almost empty FNB Stadium yesterday afternoon.

That fewer than 2 000 supporters showed up summed up a tragic season for Amakhosi.

Chiefs supporters voted with their feet after last weekend’s ugly scenes at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban following their 2-0 Nedbank Cup semifinal defeat to Free State Stars.

The home crowd numbers must have been the second worst this season, one notch ahead of the crowd that pelted former coach Steve Komphela with all sorts of missiles after seeing Chippa routing their team 3-0 here in what was another hugely embarrassing defeat for Amakhosi on April 7.

Delightful lob

Paez’s opening goal, a thumping shot taken just outside the area, was a third against the Team of Choice this season as he also scored a brace against the same team when they met at Harry Gwala Stadium in September.

Zuma, who came on for Paez in the second half, beat Bongani Mpande with a delightful lob to score his third of the season.

Before this match Amakhosi, who replaced Maritzburg in third with this win, had claimed just 19 points from 14 home matches this season.

While Chiefs had come to this match on the back of a 3-1 midweek defeat against Golden Arrows in Patrick Mabedi’s first match as caretaker coach after Komphela’s resignation after the Stars defeat and the riots, Maritzburg were on a high after two excellent league and cup results against Mamelodi Sundowns in Pietermaritzburg.

Mabedi, who discarded Komphela’s 3-5-2 for the 4-4-2 formation, made three changes to the team that lost to Arrows, slotting in Paez in the place of Leonardo Castro, who was shown a red card for a bone-crunching foul against Arrows. Siyabonga Ngezana also got the nod ahead of Eric Mathoho, and Sibusiso Khumalo had his first start this season at left-back in the place of Tshepo Masilela.

With young industrious midfielder Siphesihle Ndlovu, Mxolisi Kunene and No 1 goalkeeper Richard Ofori missing this match because of suspension, Fadlu Davids’ side was depleted and were always expected to struggle in this match.