Mabedi secures CAF tourney slot
South African football giants Kaizer Chiefs’ Malawian interim coach Patrick ‘General’ Mabedi was all smiles on Saturday after securing a Confederation of African Football (CAF) Confederations Cup slot.
Chiefs beat Ajax Cape Town 2-1 in their final Premier Soccer League (PSL) match to finish third in the 16-team league behind champions Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates.
The former Flames captain told SuperSport television channel that he was pleased to see the players follow instructions in their last match.
“I need to thank the players, they did exactly what we spoke about. I told them at half-time that they just need to be patient, Ajax are throwing everything and we just need to last.
“We need to make the right decision. They will leave three defenders and they will leave it open on the side.
“We chose ‘Shabba’ [Siphiwe Tshabalala] and [Joseph] Molangoane to open it wider and we capitalised on that. Overall, I think we should have scored more goals,” he said.
Meanwhile Flames striker Robin Ngalande’s team Baroka FC avoided play-offs despite going down 1-0 to SuperSport United also on Saturday.
Baroka will stay put in the PSL next season after Ajax Cape Town lost 2-1 in their final game of the league season.
Ajax Cape Town have finished third from the bottom and Ngalande said relief was the prevalent emotion after the match.
“We lost but fortunately for us Ajax Cape Town were also beaten to finish 15th,” he said.
Robert Ng’ambi and Gerald Phiri Jnr’s Platinum Stars finished at the bottom and despite their 1-0 win over injured Frank ‘Gabadinho’ Mhango’s dethroned champions Bidvest Wits, they had already been relegated. n
