Mabedi happy with response

Sibongiseni Gumbi

Kaizer Chiefs finally ended a bad run of defeats when they beat Maritzburg United 2-0 at FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon with goals by Gustavo Paez (above) and Dumisani Zuma.

Amakhosi had had a terrible season which will end with the Soweto giants having failed to add anything to their trophy cabinet for a third year running.

The win was stand in coach Patrick Mabedi’s first since taking over from Steve Komphela.

Mabedi credited his players for showing him support in a difficult time.

“Chiefs are a big club and it’s not easy because there is a lot of expectation when you are coach. You have to be mentally strong.

“The players have been supportive and it makes things a little easier,” said Mabedi after the match.

The Malawian has made a few changes to the way things were going during Komphela’s reign. He used a 4-4-2 system and brought the likes of Sibusiso Khumalo and George Maluleka back into the team.

The new system worked well as Amakhosi played an organised game and managed to keep Maritzburg’s fast attackers at bay and ensured they didn’t trouble Itumeleng Khune as much as he had been in previous matches.

He admitted he had never expected to take over but said that as an assistant one had to be ready for such eventualities.

Mabedi will now hope for a similar response when they face Ajax Cape Town in their last match of the season on May 12. Ajax are in a bitter battle for survival and only a win over Chiefs can keep them in with a chance of surviving.