Kaizer Chiefs playing continental chess as Cedric Kaze reveals rotation strategy for Zesco

Kaizer Chiefs’ narrow victory over Marumo Gallants on Wednesday night may not have been fluent, but it was rich in substance — the kind of result that speaks to a team learning how to survive demanding moments while juggling competing priorities.

For Cedric Kaze, the performance was as much about management as it was about momentum.

Chiefs were forced into rotation, not by choice but by circumstance, and the co-coach was frank about the compromises that come with that territory as the likes of Paseko Mako, Asanele Velebayi and Nkosingiphile Ngcobo got unfamiliar starts.

“Sometimes it’s difficult because even when you don’t want to make rotation, it becomes a necessity and that’s why today (against Gallants) we had to rotate,” Kaze said.

That rotation showed at times, particularly in the first half where Chiefs lacked rhythm and cohesion on a notoriously awkward surface. Gallants pressed, disrupted and made life uncomfortable, but Amakhosi found a way to stay in the contest — a trait that has increasingly defined their season.

Kaze admitted that the changes cost Chiefs some balance, yet he was encouraged by the response from the bench as the match wore on.

“It does contribute to us losing our balance but the boys did well as well as the ones that came on in the second half, the likes of Fabio Silva, Given Msimango, Siphesihle Ndlovu and Luke Baartman; they helped us to put the foot on the ball and to play with more control,” he said.

That control proved decisive. Chiefs steadied themselves, slowed the game down and eventually found the breakthrough, turning a potentially frustrating evening into a valuable three points. It was not spectacular, but it was effective — and Kaze made no apologies for that.

“It's a big win away from home for us on a very difficult field. We are a big team that should always find a way to win under any condition,” he added.

The Naturena technical team were under no illusions about the challenge they had just navigated. Gallants’ home ground has been a stumbling block for many, and Kaze believes Wednesday’s result may age well as the season progresses.

“What I saw today, I’m not sure there’s a lot of teams that are going to be able to win on that field,” he said.

Beyond the immediate result, the win also offered a broader snapshot of Chiefs’ progress. With 30 points after 15 league games, Amakhosi are already within touching distance of last season’s total — a marker Kaze referenced as evidence of growth, even as he stressed that the job is far from complete.

“We will continue to go game by game. Last season we were at 32 points at the end of the season and today we have 30 points after 15 games, so it’s a big improvement, but we feel we still have big room for improvement,” he said.

That sense of unfinished business now shifts the spotlight firmly onto continental matters. Chiefs must quickly turn their attention to the CAF Confederation Cup, where they host Zesco United at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday.