Mangethe [Samkelo] gave us that edge - Zwane.

Kaizer Chiefs edged a step closer to their first trophy in eight years when they defeated Royal AM 2-1 in a Nedbank Cup quarter-final match played at Chartsworth Stadium, Durban, on Sunday evening.

A Thabo Matlaba own goal in the 36th minute, and a Yusuf Maart penalty in the 102nd minute of extra-time ensured Chiefs' passage into the semi-finals, where they will meet Orlando Pirates.

21-year-old Midfielder, Samkelo Zwane's contribution in the middle of the park, was one of the main factors that led to Amakhosi's victory, according to head coach, Arthur Zwane.

"We started brightly and controlled the space. Mangethe (Samkelo Zwane) gave us that edge in terms of dictating terms in the middle," said Zwane as quoted by The Citizen. https://www.citizen.co.za/sport/soccer/local-soccer/zwane-explains-how-chiefs-forced-royal-am-errors-in-cup-tie/

"They are a ball playing team and once you give them space they can hurt you at any given time.

"So, we had to first control and also utilise the space that is created when their fullbacks go forward. 

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"For the better part of the game we managed to do that. We controlled them but obvious lapses in concentration in dead ball situations made us give them hope. 

"But that was a wake up call and we looked like we could get a goal at any given time."

Having disposed of Royal AM, Chiefs will turn their attention to the business of hunting for the Caf Champions league spot in the coming weekend.

They travel to Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday 22 April to face Sekhukhune United at 15:00.

'He has a rare quality in him.' Arthur Zwane on Samkelo.

Kaizer Chiefs, in their prime, were known to be a team that thrived on the back of players who possessed immense technical abilities.

Even that was not enough, a dose of creativity was a vital aspect in a Chiefs player, think Doctor Khumalo, the late Shakes Kungoane, Donald 'Ace' Khuse, Thabang 'Banda' Lebese.

Those were players who could unlock the most stubborn of defensive organizations with a single pin point pass.

The Kaizer Chiefs of recent years has been found wanting when it comes to players of such quality, losing their identity in the process.

Lately though, a 21-year-old midfielder, Samkelo Zwane has shown a lot of promise, and if he continues to be nurtured, with his strengths maximized, the South African youth international could be what Chiefs has been missing all these years.

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Zwane is a Chiefs homegrown product, having gone through their development ranks.

He has appeared nine times for the senior side so far this season, putting on a man of the match performance against Stellenbosch FC.

His coach, Arthur Zwane, is well aware of the gem at his disposal.

"When I look at Samkelo, he is something else, for me – not because we developed him, as a club, but because he has a rare quality in him," Zwane said as quoted by iDiski Times. https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/nedbank-cup/zwane-tipped-for-huge-chiefs-future/

"His technical ability and execution are second to none, and that will always make him a special player, we are lacking such players in South Africa that can be able to pin-point 40-meter passes and also be creative, take risks at the back to unlock oppositions.

"Most defensive midfielders [in South Africa] keep it simple, they don’t want to lose the ball in critical areas of the field where they can end up being punished. 

"You will recall we ended up playing one of our former players, Njabulo Blom, who gave us stability and fighting in the middle to protect the back-four or the central area of the field – he did very well, unfortunately, he had to go for greener pastures."

With the type of players Chiefs are producing in their development ranks lately, one can only say, all is good, keep them coming! 

Khanye impressed by Zwane.

                                                                      Image: Twitter

It takes special talent to impress former Kaizer Chiefs winger, Junior Khanye, who is now a football analyst at iDiski TV, and Samkelo Zwane is something special.

Speaking after Amakhosi’s 2-1 win over Stellenbosch last weekend, Khanye could not stop raving about Zwane’s man of the match performance, going as far as comparing the 21-year-old to Andile Jali.

Zwane has appeared eight times for Chiefs this season, playing the full 90 minutes against Maritzburg United and Stellenbosch FC. He looks like a player who can give the team a different dimension in midfield, a different dynamic from what Yusuf Maart and Siyethemba Sithebe can offer.

“Between him and [Junior] Mendieta, Zwane is my Man of the Match because today Zwane was playing more as a box-to-box player,” said Khanye as quoted by iDiski Times. Khanye Compares Chiefs Starlet To Jali - iDiski Times

“You can’t make him a defensive midfielder because he knows how to combine better than when [Yusuf] Maart and [Siyethemba] Sithebe are in that position. He knows how to make the team gel.

“He kind of reminds me of Andile Jali, although Jali is obviously better and more experienced.

“I think Kaizer Chiefs have to understand that Zwane is not a defensive midfielder. He is not strong in defence but can help the team going forward.

“Sithebe can’t get out of sticky situations and he can’t even call for the ball. But the boy can call for the ball and he is more skilful. He knows how to hit a forward pass. His energy reminds me of Jali when he arrived at [Orlando] Pirates. Well he will never be in that class but he’s got potential to become one of the best.

“He can play forward and when the ball is on the right maybe on [Dillon] Solomon’s feet, he knows how to create a triangle and open in the middle. He had two options to either play on the line or play from where it came from.

“He is also able to protect the ball so he is a very good ball player and he is able to screen before he receives it. He knows football and today he gave Kaizer Chiefs balance so they could play, and I think the understanding he has with Mdu [Shabalala] is wonderful.” 

 

 

What Shabalala and Zwane must know.

                                                     Image credit: Kaizer Chiefs Twitter

In Mduduzi Shabalala and Samkelo Zwane, Kaizer Chiefs have two players with the club’s DNA flowing through their veins.

Both youngsters play with flair, as well as a kind of self-confidence that borders on arrogance, a characteristic of many a great player. It is not a surprise that the two have instantly won the hearts of the hard to impress Amakhosi fans, but with that, comes added pressure to always impress.

That is a trap Zwane and Shabalala must do their best, with the help of their coach, Arthur Zwane, to try and avoid.

At their age and the stage of their careers, the two players are prone to making a mistake of playing to the gallery, in an effort to please the crowd, to the detriment of the team’s tactics and what the game requires at that moment. Zwane and Shabalala, must be careful not to be too eager to please the crowd.

To their advantage, they are blessed to have a coach like Arthur Zwane, who understands where the two youngsters come from, what they are experiencing at the moment in their careers, and what they need to do to be the best that they can be.

The coach’s thoughts on Zwane and Shabalala:

"We know when you are working on something you will have youngsters playing football on pure instinct rather than understanding the structure because everything is about [having] a [tactical] structure at this level," Zwane said as quoted by iDiski Times. https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/dstv-premiership/zwane-admits-promising-chiefs-duo-lack-tactical-structure/

“Yes, as soon as they get excited sometimes, they become a bit loose because of what they hear from the stands and then they think it’s easy and we end up losing on the structure. That is where we [as coaches have to] come in to remind them, these people are one man down, let’s murder them, let’s bury them.

"As they grow and develop, in South Africa, I think players mature at the age of 26, 27, very few that you see excelling at the age of 20, 21, they still need a lot of guidance.

"We have to play them with people who are experienced, that’s why we have players like Keagan Dolly on the field, as long as he’s there. He’s been in France [and Bafana Bafana], otherwise, if you’re not going to have a spine with leaders maybe as a front man, in midfield and in defence and goalkeeper – then you might have a problem," Zwane added.

"You need people who can lead these youngsters while we’re trying to build an identity. With them, yes, we have an advantage as they’ve been in the development and that is why with Samkelo you see these glimpses of him getting the ball at the right areas, dangerous areas where we can hurt people.

"Players like Sithebe and Yusuf, you still see a little bit of instinct here and there [not structure] and you understand why… when the results are not forthcoming, we want to win the game at all costs, and we end up losing our structure.

"So, what is key, is to grind results and as long as we grind the results, the structure will become visible [as wins pile up], everyone will see this is how Chiefs play because it builds the confidence of the team you know."