Kaizer Chiefs co-coach Cedric Kaze has explained the decision to bench in-form winger Glody Lilepo during Wednesday night’s disappointing Nedbank Cup clash against Stellenbosch FC in Cape Town.
Amakhosi’s dreams of defending their title were dashed at the DHL Stadium as they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Gavin Hunt’s disciplined side. The loss sends the Soweto giants crashing out of the Round of 32, leaving the club to reflect on missed opportunities and a sluggish start.
The Cape Winelands side took control early. Ibraheem Jabaar broke the deadlock from the penalty spot in the 10th minute, followed by a clinical strike from Devin Titus in the 23rd minute to double the lead.
Chiefs showed signs of life in the second half when Flávio Da Silva converted a penalty in the 56th minute, but the comeback ultimately stalled.
The absence of Lilepo from the starting eleven raised eyebrows among the Amakhosi faithful. The 28-year-old has been in scintillating form, netting spectacular goals in consecutive matches against Marumo Gallants and Zesco United prior to the Stellies encounter.
To date, Lilepo has recorded five goals in 21 appearances across all competitions this season for the Glamour Boys.
‘IT’S A ROTATION’: CEDRIC KAZE
Speaking after the match, Kaze emphasised that the decision was based on player welfare and physical metrics rather than tactical doubt.
Kaze further insisted that the players selected to start the game were more than capable of securing a result.
“You know, it’s a rotation; you have to do it given all the minutes that the players have put in, all the kilometers that the data shows, and all those trips as well. I would say that is a must for the rotation,” said Kaze.
“But, you know, as well with the players that started the game, they are Kaizer Chiefs players, and they are supposed to play in these kinds of games. If you are a Kaizer Chiefs player, you need to be able to play against teams like Stellenbosch, and they did everything they could. Now we just have to look forward.”
With their cup defence over, Chiefs will now shift their focus to their next game against Al Masry in the CAF Confederation Cup on Sunday at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium. The coaching staff faces the uphill task of lifting morale and ensuring that the “rotation policy” yields more consistent results as they fight to progress to the knockout stage of the continental competition.
For Lilepo, his brief but impactful cameo off the bench suggests he will likely return to the starting line-up for the next fixture, as Amakhosi look to reclaim their clinical edge.
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