Kaizer Chiefs coach Zwane searches for positives after defeat to Royal AM

• Chiefs narrowly lost to Royal AM in a friendly match
• The Soweto giants used the game as preparation for their MTN8 clash
• Zwane was pleased to see his fringe players get some needed game time

WHAT HAPPENED? Kaizer Chiefs' head coach Arthur Zwane was happy to see his fringe players get some game time in Bloemfontein during the current Fifa break.

The Glamour Boys succumbed to a 4-2 defeat to Royal AM on penalties following a 1-1 draw in a Macufe Cup match at Free State Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Keagan Dolly grabbed a late equalising goal as Amakhosi fought back to hold Thwihli Thwahla to a draw, but the KwaZulu-Natal side went on to win on penalties.

Zwane indicated that there were some positives that can be taken away from this friendly match which was played during the current Fifa international break.

WHAT HAS BEEN SAID: “Penalties are a lottery, but I think it was a good exercise for our boys for the fact that we also came back from a goal down,” Zwane told SABC Sport. 
“I still believe we could’ve done much better from the few goalscoring opportunities we created. What we are happy about is giving other players an opportunity. 
"The effort of the boys, they have done well but we could’ve done better. We were trying to put some mileage up there, we’re trying to help the boys to be on par with the other boys that have been playing regularly," he added. 
“That’s what the whole exercise was about today.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: With the league suspended for the Fifa international window, Chiefs used the Macufe Cup to get the team's chemistry right and also gave their fringe players a chance to play. A few youngsters from the reserve team also featured as they gained some valuable first-team football experience.

WHAT NEXT FOR CHIEFS? The Soweto giants are now set to take on AmaZulu FC in an MTN8 semi-final first-leg match at FNB Stadium on October 2.