Chiefs’ McCarthy tipped for greatness by Kaze

Kaizer Chiefs’ assistant coach, Cedric Kaze, has praised young defender Aden McCarthy, tipping the centre-back for a bright future in football after he secured his second consecutive Man of the Match award.

McCarthy put in a Man of the Match performance as Kaizer Chiefs secured their second consecutive league win, beating Polokwane City FC 1-0 at FNB Stadium on Wednesday night.

This follows his impressive debut Man of the Match display in the season opener against Stellenbosch FC, a game Chiefs won 2-0 over the weekend. With McCarthy anchoring the defence, the Soweto giants are yet to concede a goal in the new 2025/26 season.

The 21-year-old McCarthy has been with the Chiefs’ first team for four seasons but only made his debut late last season after impressive showings for the national team in the COSAFA Cup and African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers. Prior to this, he had been on the bench 12 times but played mainly for the DStv Diski Challenge team.

This pre-season, however, he seized his opportunity, stepping into the left side of central defence following an injury to Rushwin Dortley and the departure of Dove Edmilson.

Playing alongside captain Inacio Miguel, the son of former Chiefs star Fabian McCarthy, Aden has been flawless, earning two consecutive Man of the Match awards. Fabian McCarthy was part of the iconic league-winning team that conceded a record-low 11 goals in a single season.

In a post-match press conference, Kaze playfully noted McCarthy’s success. “I would say that the one who is handing the Man of the Match is making our life very difficult because he’s going to think he’s entitled to get the Man of the Match every match now,” Kaze joked.

“But it’s good for him — he’s a very, very nice kid. Very professional in the way he conducts himself, inside the field and outside,” Kaze continued.

“Especially another thing I can say about him, he is a player that listens a lot. He’s always with Zitha and Miguel, the type of players he knows their experience can help him. I’m sure, without injuries, he will go far; he is a player with quality.”

McCarthy will be looking to hold onto his starting spot when Chiefs host Richards Bay next Tuesday at the Calabash.