Lebese’s 85th-minute strike on Saturday sealed three points for Amakhosi and the coach acknowledged that every win is important at this time of the season. “These are championship matches … it’s that time of the year when the scramble is for every point, every half point ... I’m happy for the players, their response and focus, the level of understanding of the space you find yourself in, and we’re delighted with the victory, three points, march on, squeaky bum time,” he said on SuperSport TV while borrowing a quote from Alex Ferguson. Komphela explained his decision to replace Edmore Chirambadare with Lebese at the start of the second half, a tactical switch that paid dividends in the end. “If you don’t love them you can’t lead them,” Komphela continued. “We love George with all our heart. We equally love Edmore Chirambadare. Now he understands that you’ve given your best, he works extremely hard Chirambadare and when a man works like that it’s a compliment.

“In as such as a man with the finesse and quality Lebese has must also be acknowledged. The minute we pushed him in I said it in the dressing room that this is a Lebese game … because he was exactly the kind of player we needed in the circumstances. “This guy has got massive quality, he’s unbelievable, and with the privilege of working with players like this, what more can you ask for?” The Amakhosi coach acknowledged that it will be difficult for Chiefs to win the title, and knows they need to be switched on in every remaining match. “We have to play I don’t know how many cup finals. Kaizer Chiefs is always in cup finals from day one of the Premiership, 30 cup finals, MTN8, Telkom, Nedbank,” he said. “It’s just to accept, stay focused, take this one, but this one is gone, we have to focus on the next. We’re happy for the supporters as well, thanks for their support.”