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Ernst Middendorp proud of Kaizer Chiefs players

Lebogang Manyama's first-half goal was enough to hand the Glamour Boys a 1-0 at the FNB Stadium, which moved the side seven points clear of Mamelodi Sundowns.

"It's quite a good outcome, we were talking a lot about advice from Steve Komphela, Jomo [Sono] and basically they are right. These last ten games it's about mentality, how you handle it, how you take it," Middendorp told SuperSport TV.

"And I know my players, I know this team, I know them very well, I could see during the week already that we're prepared, we want it and unfortunately here and there some injuries.

"Leonardo [Castro] had to go off as you see, Willard Katsande had to go out and that's always a difficult moment, players from the bench, in particular huge compliment to [Anthony] Akumu coming on and taking over in a really crucial position.

"I'm very proud of it and I think each and everybody on the Kaizer Chiefs side, players, technical team, supporters, deserve this moment and they should enjoy it."

The German tactician elaborated on his tactical plan for the Buccaneers, who had won six successive games before the loss to Chiefs.

"It's very different from what I have seen with all the other teams and I travel and follow the teams, it was very important today to do positional defending, not going in advance marking, keep the central corridors closed, make sure you're prepared for the balls on top of the defence line.

"And of course the reference point has to be the ball and your own teammates, not the other, don't follow them, getting tracked out, getting pulled out, this is not, then you're in a really nonsense position and I think the players have done well.

"Good, we had some moments when they had possibilities to score but other moments on the other side I think it's Eric [Mathoho] and other players we had the possibility to make it 2-0 and a close book would [have been] earlier."

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