Baxter pleased with two-goal Maluleka

GEORGE Maluleka can make the playmaker position his own at Kaizer Chiefs, said coach Stuart Baxter about the scorer of both goals in Amakhosi’s 2-0 MTN8 semifinal first-leg victory over Platinum Stars.

Chiefs weathered a storm in the first half at Royal Bafokeng Stadium on Saturday night, where hard-running Stars failed to profit from chances gained against an out-of-sorts Amakhosi defence.

Maluleka’s 50th-minute volley brought Chiefs back in control, and the midfielder added a second with a stunning free-kick in the 89th, giving his side a clear advantage for the second leg at FNB Stadium on Sunday.

The former Ajax Cape Town star, who had an unimpressive first six months at Chiefs last season after a spell at SuperSport United, where he never shone to the level of his talent, has been in form in a three-man midfield alongside Willard Katsande and Reneilwe Letsholonyane.

“I had a feeling when we got George he would only give his best in a three-man central midfield. Playing Yeye’s (Letsholonyane’s) deeper role is not really what he wants to do,” Baxter said.

“What I’m pleased with now is sometimes we get that rotation where George will come short and Yeye will push into the role behind the strikers. It’s working well.

“George gets on the ball in places where he can use his skills. And the more he does that the more his confidence grows.”

He makes “not always the easy pass, which I thought he was doing a bit last year. He’s got a wide range and he needs to use it,” said Baxter.

“We worked in preseason on the three in midfield. And when Siphiwe Tshabalala and Bernard Parker got injured George came in. I think the importance of ‘Mido’s’ performances cannot be underestimated, because it’s a bit of glue that’s holding us together right now.”