Kaizer Chiefs assistant coach Arthur Zwane admits Nkosingiphile Ngcobo suffered a drop-off this season but, after the midfielder was given a chance due to the Covid-19 outbreak at Chiefs, Zwane now says the midfielder is back.

Ngcobo played a starring role in Chiefs’ run to last season’s Caf Champions League final.

However, this season, the youngster has found game time difficult to come by under new boss Stuart Baxter.

Ngcobo, though, was handed a chance after the squad was hit by coronavirus. He grabbed it with both hands, scoring a superb long-range strike, and then engineered a second goal for Phathutshedzo Nange to secure the 2-0 win over Sekhukhune United this past weekend.

The 22-year-old will be hoping to help cement a place in the Chiefs side now and Zwane believes Ngcobo is now back.

“You know, sometimes in football, more especially when we are coming from a season that was tough for us, playing in the Caf Champions League, the domestic league and in cup games at the same time, so [Ngcobo], Njabulo [Blom] and many other youngsters played a lot of games, and you could see them dropping a bit because of fatigue here and there.

“We had to manage him and you can see he is coming back, he is alive again and we are happy to see him, especially in this game showcasing his talent and performing like he did.”

Zwane was also quick to inisist that head coach Baxter was a part of the planning for the fixture and had picked the line up with his assistants.

“We have technical staff, we work together, and unfortunately for coach Stuart he is recovering at home at the moment. As you know, all of us were at home at some point and in isolation.

“Fortunately some of us were able to come back. We discussed [the lineup], we have been preparing the team, all of us you, know, because we are a team of technical staff members.”