Kaizer Chiefs told keeper who should replace Petersen

Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Thabiso Malatsi has advised the club to carefully manage goalkeeper Brandon Petersen’s situation following a series of costly mistakes.

Petersen’s latest blunder occurred during a 1-1 draw with Polokwane City on Saturday. Amakhosi were leading 1-0 thanks to a first-half goal from Lebohang Maboe, but with just 17 minutes remaining, Petersen fumbled a near-post shot from Giovanni Philander.

Brandon Petersen has been making costly errors for Kaizer Chiefs. Image: Kaizer Chiefs

The keeper collided with the post as the ball slipped through his grasp and into the net, marking at least his fourth significant error of the season.

With this being his fourth high-profile so far this season, Malatsi has warned that Chiefs must protect Petersen, particularly from potential backlash from the supporters.

Why Malatsi wants Petersen dropped

“They have to put him on the bench and bring this boy from Sekhukhune (Renaldo Leaner). Petersen has to rest. They have to rest him, he has a lot of things in his head, I don’t know what’s happening,” Malatsi told KickOff.

Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Renaldo Leaner. Photo: Kaizer Chiefs

“And the coach (Fernando Da Cruz) can see that he is flat and obviously as a coach you protect your players. But he has to sit (on the bench) a little bit, so he can refocus. He has been making mistakes since the Sundowns game, Richards Bay, Polokwane City.

“They have to protect him, because you can see now that the supporters are angry,” Malatsi warned.

Chiefs goalkeeper’s other costly errors

Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Brandon Petersen. — Brandon Petersen of Kaizer Chiefs. Image: Kaizer Chiefs

The Polokwane game was not the first time the 31-year-old’s mistakes have cost the Glamour Boys valuable points. Earlier in the season, he misjudged a cross against Mamelodi Sundowns, allowing Cassius Mailula to score a late equaliser in a match that also ended 1-1.

In another league fixture, Petersen failed to control a back pass while under pressure from Richards Bay’s Nqaba Xulu, who capitalised on the error to give his side a 2-1 lead in a game that ultimately finished 2-2.

The Soweto giants also suffered an early exit from the MTN8 quarterfinals due to a goalkeeping error. Golden Arrows secured a 1-0 victory after Khulekani Shezi’s cross-cum-shot caught the Cape Town-born shot-stopper off his line and went in at the near post.