Kaze delights as Chiefs’ revival brings depth Dilemma

Kaizer Chiefs co-coach Cedric Kaze is revelling in what he has dubbed a “good headache” following the team’s decisive 4-1 Betway Premiership victory over Orbit College FC on Tuesday night.

The win, the club’s largest winning margin this season, confirmed a major upturn in form, but also presented the technical team with a welcome selection dilemma.

The goal-fest at FNB Stadium saw Mduduzi Shabalala net a brace, with youngsters Mfundo Vilakazi and substitute Flavio da Silva also finding the back of the net. While Ayanda Lukhele managed a consolation header for the visitors, the performance solidified Chiefs’ third consecutive victory across all competitions and their second straight win in the league.

The Beautiful Dilemma For Chiefs

The significance of the three points was immediate: Chiefs jumped two places to second position on the league table with 22 points, levelling the tally of log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns (who retain the top spot on goal difference).

Kaze confirmed that the team’s improved performance is coinciding with a stronger squad depth, transforming their previous injury woes into a positive selection problem.

“It’s a good thing for us. It is going to be a good headache as well to get the lineup. But it’s a good problem to have, and it’s going to make even training competitive, and the competitiveness of the training is going to increase the level of everyone,” Kaze told SuperSport TV.

The co-coach’s comments highlight that an expanding pool of fully fit and high-performing players will inevitably elevate the standard of training, which in turn benefits the entire squad’s performance level.

Converting Chances: Trusting the Process

The four-goal haul was particularly satisfying for the technical team, given that Chiefs had recently endured a three-game spell without scoring. Kaze credited consistency and trust in the process for the goal drought finally breaking.

“We have been having very good performances without converting the chances that we got. It was very important to start very well and we started very well with a very good mentality,” he noted.

He reiterated a belief he had expressed weeks ago, stressing the link between consistent play and final output: “As I said two weeks ago, if the performances are consistent, the goals are going to come and we’re glad we scored four today and we got the three points.”

Kaze concluded by praising the mental fortitude shown by the players even during their difficult spell in front of goal. “It was very important as well, even in the period of doubt, to keep showing the players the positive moments, which means we were getting there inside the box. The last passes were there, and it’s just a matter of being clinical and being a little bit composed in front of the net.”