Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi has explained the absence of defender Rushwin Dortley during the team’s 1-0 victory over Magesi in the Betway Premiership match at FNB Stadium, citing discomfort felt by the player.
Dortley, who joined Chiefs from Cape Town Spurs in the off-season, was left out of the squad as a precaution to avoid aggravating the issue.
His absence could raise concerns for Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos, who included the 22-year-old in his preliminary squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin.
Despite sitting out against Magesi, Dortley played the full match in the previous 1-0 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns.
Nabi reassured that the defender would be available for the Nedbank Cup quarter-final against Stellenbosch this weekend at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
“It was just discomfort; we didn’t want to take any risks. He will be back for the next game,” Nabi confirmed.
Dortley has been a consistent performer this season, making 21 appearances in all competitions, including 18 in the league.
Kaizer Chiefs’ win keeps them in eighth place on the table with 28 points from 20 matches. Reflecting on the performance, Nabi admitted the first-half display was below expectations but praised the team’s improvement after the break.
“In the first half, we were not good at all,” Nabi said, referencing the recent 2-2 draw against Magesi in Limpopo. “It was probably because of the many changes we had to make regarding player availability.
But in the second half, we were a bit better in several aspects of the game. But in these kind of games, the most important thing is the three points.”
Chiefs will now turn their focus to the Nedbank Cup as they look to maintain their pursuit of silverware this season.
