Maduka Celebrates Royal AM’s Resurgence
Royal AM head coach John Maduka commended his team for their impressive second-half comeback against Kaizer Chiefs at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday.
While Chiefs surged ahead with two goals within a mere 13 minutes, scored by Ashley Du Preez and Wandile Duba, Maduka’s squad showed significant improvement after halftime.
In the 50th minute, Ayabulela Maxwele surprised Chiefs goalkeeper Brandon Petersen with a shot from distance, as Amakhosi struggled to clear the first and second balls defensively.
As the match approached its final moments, Levy Mashiane intercepted a clearance attempt from Given Msimango and cleverly slotted the ball past Petersen to equalize.
Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi criticized his players for their lack of professionalism and respect towards their opponents, while Maduka praised his team for following the game plan, confidently noting that he anticipated Chiefs would tire after expending so much energy in the first half.
“The first thing I told the players was that this was not a difficult match,” Maduka reflected after the game.
“We complicate matters ourselves by failing to mark effectively. It’s impossible to play football without solid defense.
“Once we corrected that, and as we started to push forward, I believed we could score one goal, and once we did, more would follow. It’s important to remember that Chiefs expended a lot of energy in the first half trying to attack us.
“Had we absorbed the pressure better without conceding those two early goals, the second half could have played out very differently.
“The players executed the game plan effectively, and I’m incredibly proud of their performance.”
Chiefs were dominant throughout the match, creating numerous opportunities, with their captain Yusuf Maart notably missing a good chance in the first half by failing to convert a straightforward situation.
Duba also squandered a one-on-one opportunity during the first half, while Mdu Shabalala shot wide in the box, and Du Preez struck the post. In the second half, Pule Mmodi rounded Royal AM goalkeeper Mondli Mpoto but missed the target, with Maart finding Mpoto in a straightforward save.
“We could have conceded even more; we were fortunate to come away unscathed,” admitted Maduka.
“In the first half, our lack of marking allowed them to penetrate our defense, and they caused us numerous problems. However, when we had possession, we displayed good movement, particularly in the first half.”
The draw leaves Royal AM in 10th position on the table, with eight points accrued from nine matches.