Kaizer Chiefs co-coach Cedric Kaze praises Amakhosi’s ‘big improvement’ despite tricky pitch conditions against Marumo Gallants

Kaizer Chiefs collected a much-needed three points at the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium against Marumo Gallants, keeping their league title hopes alive. The victory allowed the Naturena-based outfit to leapfrog their arch-rivals Orlando Pirates in the standings, although the Soweto giants remain separated by just a single point.

Mamelodi Sundowns continue to lead the PSL table, but with the gap between the top three narrowing, every fixture is set to play a crucial role in the tightly contested title race. The Bucs still hold a two-game advantage, ensuring the battle for top honours in the 2025/26 campaign is far from over.

These enthralling developments represent a significant achievement for Amakhosi, who have in the past struggled to keep pace with the Premier Soccer League’s big three, an improvement that co-coach Cedric Kaze has openly praised.

Speaking to the media after the match, the 46-year-old coach admitted that the pitch conditions in Bloemfontein were below standard.

"It's a big win on a very difficult field,but we didn't want to complain about the field or to feel sorry for ourselves, we are a big team, we need to play in every condition that we find ourselves in,” Kaze said as per SABC Sports.

“I would say that it's a big win,and what I would say today, I'm not quite sure that there are a lot of teams that would win on that field."

He went on to praise the improvement the Phefeni team has shown so far this season.

"We went game by game last season. At the end of the season,we were at 32 points after 30 games, today we are 15 games with 30 points, I feel it's a big improvement but as well we feel that we still have a big room for improvement," he continued

The Burundian coach also gave credit to Glody Lilepo, who scored the only goal that secured victory for the Glamour Boys. The 28-year-old’s strike, a moment of brilliance, could be a contender for Goal of the Season and is sure to be talked about for the rest of the campaign.

“We’re happy with the three points and what a goal [from Lilepo], what a goal, it’s not a goal that you see every day,” Kaze added, according to iDiski Times.

Having played 13 league games and scored twice this season, Lilepo has impressed Kaze, who remains optimistic about his development.

“I’m happy for Lilepo that he scored that goal because after his injury against AS Simba, he was slowly coming back, and there was some pressure on him in recent weeks, but he responded well."

“We know he’s a big player that can make a difference.”

The Soweto giants, who have kicked off the new year on a high note, will aim to maintain their momentum as they turn their attention to their next challenge. While confidence is high after defeating a side that has traditionally troubled them, Amakhosi are determined to avoid complacency. The coach added that the team will look to make the most of this important encounter.

“We're gonna go there and compete in every game, now our focus is gonna shift to our CAF Confederation game on Sunday against Zesco, and then try to make the best out of that game," he said.

The improvement shown by Chiefs this season will be tested as the campaign unfolds. While the team has displayed promising form and collected important victories, the real challenge will be sustaining this performance over the long haul. 

Questions remain over whether their progress can translate into silverware or if it will simply remain a strong run of form in the league.