Royal AM’s head coach John Maduka praised his team for their remarkable second-half comeback against Kaizer Chiefs at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday.

Despite Kaizer Chiefs taking an early lead with two goals in just 13 minutes from Ashley Du Preez and Wandile Duba, Maduka’s team exhibited notable resilience after the halftime break.

In the 50^th minute, Ayabulela Maxwele stunned Chiefs goalkeeper Brandon Petersen with a long-range shot, as Amakhosi struggled to effectively clear the ball from their defense.

As the match neared its conclusion, Levy Mashiane intercepted a wayward pass from Given Msimango and skillfully placed the ball past Petersen to level the score.

Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi was critical of his players for their perceived lack of professionalism and respect towards their rivals, while Maduka lauded his players for their adherence to the game plan, confidently suggesting he expected Chiefs to tire from their exertions in the first half.

“The first thing I said to the players was that this game shouldn’t have been difficult,” Maduka reflected after the match.

“We tend to complicate things for ourselves by not marking effectively. It’s essential to have a solid defense in football.

“Once we made the necessary adjustments and began to attack, I was confident we could score first, which would lead to more goals. It’s vital to recognize how much energy Chiefs spent trying to dominate us in the first half.

“If we had managed the early pressure better and avoided those two quick goals, the second half might have unfolded very differently.

“The players executed the game plan beautifully, and I couldn’t be prouder of their performance.”

Chiefs maintained control for most of the match, generating multiple scoring chances, with captain Yusuf Maart notably missing a clear opportunity in the first half. Duba also failed to convert a one-on-one chance, while Mdu Shabalala missed from close range and Du Preez hit the post. In the second half, Pule Mmodi went around Royal AM goalkeeper Mondli Mpoto but failed to find the target, and Maart was denied by Mpoto in a routine save.

“We could have conceded even more; we were lucky to escape without further damage,” Maduka acknowledged.

“In the first half, our poor marking allowed them to penetrate our defense, creating numerous challenges for us. However, when we had the ball, we showed good movement, especially in the opening half.”

The draw leaves Royal AM sitting in 10th place on the table, having secured eight points from nine matches.