‘Check how many saves he's made’: Chiefs players defend keeper Petersen

Kaizer Chiefs players have defended goalkeeper Brandon Petersen, who was criticised after their MTN8 semifinal second-leg loss to Mamelodi Sundowns at the weekend. 

Petersen’s early mistake led to Sundowns striker Peter Shalulile’s opening goal after 10 seconds at Lucas Moripe Stadium as the Brazilians won 2-1 on the day for a 3-2 aggregate victory to secure a place in the final against Orlando Pirates on October 7 in Durban. 

Speaking as they prepared to take on Sekhukhune United in the DStv Premiership at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Wednesday, defender Zitha Kwinika and midfielder George Matlou defended Petersen. 

“He has confidence. If you start listening to people from the outside, you are going to lose it,” said Matlou, who has been a regular starter for Amakhosi this season under coach Molefi Ntseki. 

“As players we have to support each other. We can’t leave him alone because that won’t help. He is a good goalkeeper and he is confident.” 

Kwinika said Petersen has saved the team on numerous occasions and backed the keeper to bounce back against Sekhukhune. 

“He is a big boy, he’s got a thick skin and we have trust in him. Go back and check how many saves he has made in the past games — we want to focus on that and that is the funny thing about football.

“He has helped us a lot of times, showing he is capable. If you go back to that game we played against Sundowns, I don’t know how many saves he made.

“Football, or life being life, there will always be that one mistake and people will always judge you on that — but knowing him and the person he is, he is in it and ready to go again. If we put him [in] again, he will be ready to go.” 

Eighth-placed Chiefs go into this match on the back of four matches without a win in all competitions and they are under pressure to return to winning ways. 

“Intentions are clear — we are coming here [to Durban] to fight and grind for a positive result and we know it is not going to be an easy game. We owe it to ourselves and [to] get going and get the rhythm because that is what has been missing,” Kwinika said. 

The other important match on Wednesday night sees leaders Sundowns host Stellenbosch at Lucas Moripe Stadium with the Brazilians looking to make it eight league wins in a row from the start of the campaign. 

“It is going to be a difficult game,” Sundowns captain Themba Zwane said.

“I expect Stellenbosch to use their pace in front and sit back to try to catch us on a counterattack.

“But we know what to do, we will take care of the ball, try to manage the game and take our chances.” 

Stellenbosch have lost the services of influential midfielder Sibongiseni Mthethwa to Chiefs, but Zwane said coach Steve Barker's team have not been weakened.

“If you check the way coach Barker does things, he always has someone similar to take over. He has a lot of players who are quick and aggressive on the ball and it is difficult to play against them.

“We watched them against Pirates and we know what to expect and we know what to do.” 

PSL midweek fixtures — Wednesday:

• Mamelodi Sundowns v Stellenbosch FC (Lucas Moripe Stadium, 7.30pm)
• Kaizer Chiefs v Sekhukhune United (Moses Mabhida Stadium, 7.30pm)