In the wake of Kaizer Chiefs coach Giovanni Solinas's arrival at Naturena, there were reports that the Italian coach sent youngsters such as Nkosingiphile Ngcobo and Yusuf Bunting, who were training with the first team at the time, back to the academy.

However, Chiefs' MultiChoice Diski Challenge (MDC) mentor Arthur Zwane has dismissed this talk, saying if this was the case young left-back Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya wouldn't have featured for the first team this season.

"That is not the truth. Yes, they are still first team players. If that was the case [of sending youngsters away], Ntiya-Ntiya was not going to feature in the first team," said Zwane.

Having struggled for game time in the first team thus far, Ryan Moon, Bhongolethu Jayiya and Wiseman Meyiwa played a pivotal role in Chiefs' 1-0 victory over the defending champions Golden Arrows in the MDC opener on Sunday.

Zwane said giving these first team players game time at Hammersdale Stadium in KZN was his decision as he felt they needed to get some minutes on the field.

"I just wanted to give them game time," Zwane said.

"I felt they needed it, especially a player like Moon. He's still young. It's not good for him to sit on the bench.

"Wiseman as well, those are players who need to play."

Before Sunday's 1-0 victory over Arrows, Chiefs had not won their opening MDC fixture in the past two seasons. It was Reamohetswe Lekoatsa's solitary strike that sealed the deal for Amakhosi.