Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Mashiane 'won't celebrate' if he scores against Middendorp's Maritzburg United

Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Happy Mashiane has revealed that he still has a soft spot for Maritzburg United coach Ernst Middendorp and will not celebrate if he scores against the Team of Choice in Wednesday’s Premier Soccer League clash at Harry Gwala Stadium.

Coming up against the strugglers who stunned them 2-0 at FNB Stadium, Chiefs would be keen not to let the KwaZulu-Natal side complete a league double over them.

Mashiane will be facing his former Chiefs coach Middendorp, who introduced him to PSL football as a 21-year-old in the 1-0 defeat to Cape Town City in January 2019.

“It’s nothing personal. It’s just that we have to work and I have to respect him‚ so that if maybe it happens that I do score I won’t celebrate because he’s one of the coaches who gave me the platform,” Mashiane told Chiefs’ media.

“It will not be an easy one because we know that they won the reverse fixture in our home here at FNB Stadium so going there won’t be easy because you know that at Harry Gwala most teams don’t get out of there with maximum points. So playing against them will not be easy."

Mashiane goes into this match high in confidence after he scored one of the goals in Chiefs’ last outing, when they beat Petro Atletico de Luanda 2-0 in a Caf Champions League match last Saturday.

The midfielder admitted having to balance a schedule between domestic and continental fixtures is proving difficult, but he is relishing the challenge.

“It’s not easy [juggling PSL and Caf Champions League football] but I will not say that it is affecting me because this is what I signed up for,” continued Mashiane.

“I wanted to play football so I think juggling between Caf and the PSL is something we can work on and keep fit.

"Maritzburg do not concede that much. They have a good team, they can play and most of the time they are dominating in terms of keeping the ball. They also have speedy players so it will not be easy for us.”

The player has had to deal with some injuries which have disrupted his season and the Petro Atletico match came after he had been on the sidelines since mid-February.

“Coming back from injury wasn’t that easy. I had to work hard for me to be in the starting line-up again and I was fortunate enough to score a goal‚” Mashiane said when asked about injuries.

“And apparently I’m the youngest player to score in the Champions League [for Chiefs]. I’m working on being consistent and trying to prevent my injuries.

"Most of the time I get lucky because they are minor injuries. So I pull out on time so that I don’t strain too much.”