Durban – Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter felt his side were rewarded for their second-half ambition following the dramatic late win over AmaZulu in their Premiership encounter in Durban on Wednesday.
George Lebese, who bagged a brace, scored his second goal deep into stoppage time to help the league leaders snatch a 2-1 win over the basement club at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
The result enabled Amakhosi to stretch their lead to 11 points at the summit.
“We played some nice pretty football in the first half, but we weren't efficient and we weren't effective,” Baxter said afterwards.
“That left the game wide open, so you could go end to end.
“It's probably the game they wanted and not the one we wanted. We came out after the break and we got hold of the game by the scruff of the neck.”
The Briton always felt comfortable his team could fight their way back into the contest.
“I was not surprised when we scored the equaliser. They say 'fortune favours the brave' and we were braver and got the winner from the set play. There's always a good chance you can score from there.”
Bongani Ndulula had fired AmaZulu in front after 22 minutes of a first half dominated by the hosts, before Lebese drew his side level with a lifted finish on the hour.
The Chiefs midfielder then converted from close range, as the game entered the 94th minute following Siphiwe Tshabalala's free-kick which came back off the left upright.
Baxter felt it was results like these which could prove critical come the end of the campaign.
“At the end of the season the points that you have had to grind out are the ones that make the difference,” he said.
“The ones you get with a 4-0 win are almost free of charge, so it's an important win.
“When top meets bottom, wherever it may be in the world, it's never as easy as it looks.”
Lebese's efforts also impressed his coach, who was about to substitute the player for Kingston Nkhatha, before he struck. Baxter then opted to replace Mandla Masango instead.
“George was not himself in the first 20 minutes,” Baxter said.
“He never played positively enough and took a while to get into the game, but he started to come into the game.
“It was basically Mandla or George, but when George scored, his confidence was up so it was an easy decision to pull Mandla, who also picked up an injury.” – Sapa