Man-of-the-Match in last Saturday’s Betway Premiership 1-1 draw against Mamelodi Sundowns, Siphesihle Ndlovu, is quick to recognise the contribution of the entire Kaizer Chiefs team for the effort and application that helped him scoop the award for being the best player on the pitch on the day.

Amakhosi more than matched the Brazilians, and held sway in midfield for the majority of what was a fiercely contested battle for supremacy between two mighty Clubs. The all-round ability of each member of the midfield trio of Ndlovu, Sibongiseni Mthethwa and Lebohang Maboe to get around the park, put in ball-winning tackles to nullify opposition attacks, and then make intelligent use of the ball when in possession provided the solid platform that underpinned the team’s impressive performance.

“It was a great effort from the lads and I am proud of the outcome we got. Obviously, we wanted all three points but, against the champions of Africa, we’ll take the one point and move on to the next game,” he tells www.kaizerchiefs.com.

The 29-year-old produced the moment of the match just after the hour-mark when he picked up a loose clearance and ran directly at the Sundowns defence, weaving through three attempted tackles and then slipping a superb subtle pass into the path of Langelihle Phili who fired the ball past Ronwen Williams to give Amakhosi a lead that their overall play deserved.

“I couldn’t have done it alone,” he admits, “Credit goes to everyone involved, particularly my midfield partners, ‘Ox’ (Mthethwa) and Lebo (Maboe). We all put in a proper shift and I am grateful to have them alongside me. Either of them would have deserved the award.”

Amakhosi’s next encounter comes next Wednesday in Durban against Richards Bay, where Ndlovu insists they must apply the same intensity as they did against Sundowns to maintain their progress.

“I think it is easy to put in a good performance against our big rivals because we understand the type of opponents we are facing and the type of game they play. It is when we play other teams who are extra motivated to play us that we have to give equal focus as when we play the top teams. It is up to us as players to ensure we perform to the best of our abilities with total commitment,” he says.

In conclusion, Ndlovu acknowledges the effect of the tremendous support of the Amakhosi Faithful in driving them towards their goal of putting silverware in the trophy cabinet. “I really appreciate our fans for coming to support us in large numbers and I urge them to keep coming to follow us in all of our matches. Hearing them singing in the stands really motivates us to achieve success and we need them more than ever,” he says.