Winning start reassures Sinethemba Badela as Durban City impress at home

Badela oversaw his first-ever match in the PSL top flight on Sunday as Durban City edged Polokwane City 1-0 at Chatsworth Stadium, a result that not only preserved the club's strong home form but also marked a memorable debut for the young coach.

Trevor Mokwena's 19th-minute strike proved decisive and secured Badela's first victory at the helm, lifting City to sixth place on the Betway Premiership standings with 26 points from 16 matches.

The former Mamelodi Sundowns DStv Challenge (DDC) coach has arrived under close scrutiny, with technical director Ernst Middendorp keeping a watchful eye on his progress. Badela, however, insists patience will be essential as the team continues to adjust to new ideas.

"I do see the signs, but it takes time," Badela said after the match, as quoted by Sportswire.

"The players are willing to do it. We are playing well, but it is still in patches. We have to do it together and play with a little more control for longer periods.

"So far, I'm happy. I see a lot of good things at training, and those are the things I also saw in the game, especially in our attacking play."

While pleased with the overall performance, Badela felt his side could have put the result beyond doubt.

"I thought we could have scored more goals, but we will improve. We will keep improving game by game, and the team will get better."

Badela's animated presence on the touchline and his dress sense have also attracted attention, drawing comparisons with Rulani Mokwena, whom he assisted at Wydad Casablanca last season. His use of hand signals and constant communication with players was a notable feature throughout the match.

Despite the historic nature of the occasion, the coach stressed that there is still work to be done.

"We have to improve as a team because we are introducing a few things," he said.

"We need to keep the ball better and improve in the final third. We created a lot of chances, especially in the first half, and were very dangerous from set-pieces."

Durban City will next face a stern test away from home when they travel to Buffalo City Stadium on Sunday to take on Badela's former employers, Chippa United. The coach was dismissed by the Chilli Boys earlier this season after just two matches in charge.