Local elections delay gives Kaizer Chiefs boss Fernando da Cruz vital breathing space

The postponement of Wednesday’s Betway Premiership fixtures because of local elections has given Kaizer Chiefs coach Fernando da Cruz extra time, with the club’s meeting against AmaZulu now delayed.

The decision could leave the Premier Soccer League facing a fixture backlog, but it has also eased the immediate pressure on Da Cruz, whose side had been due to face an in-form AmaZulu team.

The match would have seen Arthur Zwane return to face his former club. Zwane left Chiefs after being demoted from the first-team coaching position and would have been keen to show his progress when taking on Amakhosi.

AmaZulu would also have gone into the game with strong momentum. They have won their past six matches in all competitions, including their Carling Knockout Cup fixtures, and would have been considered favourites against Chiefs.

Zwane’s side must now wait for their meeting with Chiefs. AmaZulu are scheduled to play Stellenbosch FC in the Carling Knockout Cup quarter-finals on Sunday night, with victory taking them closer to a potential piece of silverware.

Chiefs, meanwhile, will focus on their own Carling Knockout Cup quarter-final against Siwelele in Polokwane. The match offers Da Cruz’s team an opportunity to respond after their Soweto derby defeat by Orlando Pirates last Saturday.

Although sporting director Kaizer Motaung Junior has publicly backed Da Cruz, the coach remains under pressure as each match passes. That scrutiny has been intensified by the continued success of rivals Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates and AmaZulu, who have all been collecting victories.

The postponement means Da Cruz will not have to face AmaZulu immediately, avoiding a contest against one of the league’s most in-form teams and a coach with an additional reason to succeed against his former club.

For now, the local elections have given the Chiefs coach a temporary reprieve. His next task will be to guide the club past Siwelele and into the next stage of the Carling Knockout Cup.