Kaizer Chiefs midfielder, George Maluleka, returned to Steve Komphela’ starting XI on Wednesday night, putting in a Man of the Match performance as they returned to winning ways.
The Amakhosi had to wait 148 days between their victories over University of Pretoria in April and Highlands Park this week, and Maluleka played a vital role as they moved up to sixth place in the Absa Premiership.
Maluleka was situated just behind Chiefs’ strikers on Wednesday evening, being told to pull the strings as they moved forward and tried to gain the ascendency. While it was a penalty that secured victory, Komphela will be happy with how ‘Mido’ performed.
No player on the field attempted – or completed – more passes than Maluleka last night (76 of 92), and only four players that played the entire game had a better pass completion rate than the midfield man (83%).
It’s also worth noting that 39% (30) of his 76 passes were forward, and only 19 went backwards as he continuously looked to get Chiefs on the front foot. He was also one of only three players to complete 2+ crosses during the encounter.
As Chiefs look to pick up back to back wins for the first time since February, Komphela will be hoping that his number 12 can find the consistency that has often eluded him since making the move to Naturena, and keep bossing the midfield as fans have seen him do in the past.
