Zwane makes shock Dolly announcement ahead of Chippa tie

Kaizer Chiefs will have to make do without their key player Keagan Dolly, coach Arthur Zwane has revealed. 

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Dolly limped off in the 1-0 loss to Sekhukhune United last weekend in what was thought to be a minor knock. 

Zwane updated the media after the game and said Dolly had signalled to them that he could not continue hence he was taken off in the second half. 

But it has now emerged that Dolly will be out for the remainder of the season and Zwane is already planning how to replace him. 

“We have players who are not going to be available for this one,” Zwane told the club’s website on Thursday. 

“A notable one will be Keagan Dolly, who is going to be out until the end of the season.” 

Zwane didn’t field more information on the kind of injury Dolly has, or if it will require an operation. 

Chiefs have four league games – including Thursday’s DStv tie against Chippa United – left. 

They are also in the semifinals of the Nedbank Cup when they will meet Orlando Pirates on 6 May at FNB Stadium. 

Dolly leaves a big gap

Zwane says Dolly’s absence opens the door for either Happy Mashiane or Kgaogelo Sekgota in the team. 

Mashiane has been making steady progress coming on as a second half substitute in recent games. The same has been happening with Sekgota. 

“We are going to try and tweak the team here and there to get the right balance. 

“It’s going to be between Happy and Sekgota (to replace Dolly). We are going to see who is going to be mentally and physically ready for this game. 

“The fact that we have been playing back to back also took a lot from the players, so we will try and manage some of them, because we don’t want to risk injuries.”

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Injuries have been Zwane’s Achilles heel since he took over at Chiefs. He has had to constantly change his team. 

Dolly will leave a big gap for Chiefs as he was captaining the team with Itumeleng Khune not in the starting lineup. 

Chiefs play Chippa at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium at 3pm on Thursday.