Delight for Middendorp as Chiefs second-stringers win

Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp was pleased with the outcome of his gamble on Wednesday as he rested eight regulars for the Absa Premiership win over Chippa United and still came away with the points, to go seven clear at the top of the Absa Premiership standings.

Middendorp felt it would be a dangerous game, sandwiched in between two derbies, but praised his players after the 2-0 win at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

“Any game before and after a derby is always dangerous and especially this one which comes after a cup tie and then before a league derby,” said Middendorp in Port Elizabeth.

“Therefore I have to pay a compliment to the players who produced the result. Their attitude was fantastic.”

Only Daniel Cardoso, Willard Katsande and Samir Nurkovic were kept over from the team that drew 2-2 with Orlando Pirates in Durban last Saturday so that Middendorp has a fresh set to pick from when the two clubs meet again at Soccer City on Saturday.

“I was a bit of a scrappy start but that’s normal given all the changes we made. A lot of the players hadn’t been involved it was normal that they didn’t gel straight away,” said Middendorp.

“But I always felt something would develop and when George Maluleka came on we were a bit more creative.

“I believe we deserved the three points despite there were some chances for Chippa,” he added after Dumisani Zuma’s second half goals wrapped up matters for AmaKhosi.