“Shabba’s goal should be a contender for the goal of the season,” Steve Komphela stressed after Siphiwe Tshabalala’s stunning goal from long range against Free State Stars in Kaizer Chiefs’ 4-0 win, before adding: “I am pleased with the result.”

“We grew with the match,” the coach explained Amakhosi’s impressive performance. “Maybe it was the energy of the opponent that gave us the match, as we progressed the longer the game went on and the goals were a result of that.”

“People will say that Stars scored two own goals,” Komphela continued, “but those came due to the pressure we put on their defenders.”

The Chiefs coach raved about Tshabalala’s performance after the match for which the 30-year-old deservedly was handed over the Man of the Match award. It seems that the responsibility of wearing the armband has resulted in Tshabalala being ten years younger.

The midfielder not only scored a beauty, but also delivered an assist, from which George Lebese netted the 2-0.

Another player who did extremely well was right-back Siboniso Gaxa, who had two assists in the match, continuously going up and down the flank, creating danger for the Ea Lla Koto defence. The first assist resulted in the opening goal, as Gaxa’s powerful cross was back heeled past his own goalkeeper by Stars defender Robert Sankara.

Komphela, however, also stressed that the visitors were not without opportunity to score. Goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune, however, had a composed performance, sniffing out danger whenever it arose.

Siphelele Mthembu also did well, which had the Chiefs coach talking about strikers: “There are different types of striker. You have the foxes in the box, like the former English attacker Michael Owen, and then there are the strikers like the former German international Oliver Bierhoff. Mthembu did what we wanted him to do, as he did last week against Bloemfontein Celtic. Bongani Ndulula, who came on for Siphelele, also did the same. I am happy with my strike force.”

Thanks to the 4-0 win the Amakhosi are now back where they were last season, on top of the Absa Premiership with four points from two games.

Chiefs’ next Absa Premiership fixture is away against Polokwane City at Polokwane’s Peter Mokaba Stadium on Tuesday evening, 25 August (kick-off at 19:30).

Polokwane City lost 3-0 on the road to the University of Pretoria on Saturday.

“We don’t read much into the past results of our upcoming opponents,” commented Komphela’s about City’s loss. “Before our own game tonight, when we were relaxing, we watched that game. We will be ready come Tuesday.”