Arthur Zwane hails Kaizer Chiefs' young guns

Kaizer Chiefs coach Arthur Zwane hailed the young players who performed in the absence of some injured stars, and the senior players who led them, after his team ended 2022 with a 2-0 DStv Premiership away win against Lamontville Golden Arrows.

Chiefs were made to work hard for the three points at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday as goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune was a notable senior player keeping his team in the game, earning the man of the match award.

Caleb Bimenyimana took a pass from Keagan Dolly in a good build-up and turned and produced a sharp finish in the 14th minute. Edmilson Dove stroked in a second from an uncleared corner in the 38th.

As Arrows pushed to get back into the game Knox Mutizwa struck the crossbar.

The performances of several youngsters will make it hard for some front-line stars such as Khama Billiat, Phathutshedzo Nange and Ashley du Preez to get their places back.

In the absence of the transferred Njabulo Blom, 20-year-old Samkelo Zwane impressed in central midfield. Mduduzi Shabalala, 18, and debutant forward Wandisile Duba, 20, were two more youth products who came off the bench. Skilful Kamohelo Mahlatsi got a rare start.

“Credit to the boys. When you look at how ‘Mangethe’ [Zwane] exerted himself, Mduduzi when he came on too. Duba, though I still believe he could have done better.

“But it comes from the leadership of the senior players — [Edmilson] Dove, Zitha [Kwinika], [Sifiso] Hlanti, ‘Itu’. Itu kept us in the game.

“It was always going to be good for us to win it and end the year on a high, because these games start coming they come thick and fast.

“If you don’t capitalise on games where you create a lot of opportunities you might end up regretting it.

“Arrows are the most difficult team to play against, especially at home. They’ve got players who are comfortable on the ball, highly technical.

“You saw when they were trying to break us they came in numbers and we were just fortunate we did not concede.

“But we planned for that — they suck you in and wait for the right moment to play the ball behind you and we had to prepare our players to drop and centre.”

Some of Chiefs’ bigger-name absentees who underperformed in an inconsistent opening half of the season might have to convince Zwane they deserve their places back.

“It creates competition. They are at home, they have seen the young boys and how they did well so they are going to have to work hard to get back into the team,” the coach said.

“But they are part and parcel of us and the team simply because of the abilities and qualities they have as individuals.”

Zwane said Billiat “started jogging this past weekend” and Du Preez was “supposed to start the game but he came to me and said, ‘Coach, I’m not really comfortable’”.

Zwane has a week to prepare for Chiefs’ next assignment against Sekhukhune United at FNB Stadium on Saturday night.

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