Kaizer Chiefs boss Fernando Da Cruz refuses to blame Brandon Petersen for MTN8 exit

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Fernando Da Cruz has defended goalkeeper Brandon Petersen after his mistake sent the club crashing out of the MTN8 against Golden Arrows.

Amakhosi were eliminated in the first round after losing to Golden Arrows at FNB Stadium on Sunday night, ending their return to the Wafa Wafa competition after a two-year absence.

Petersen was beaten at his near post in the 53rd minute when Khulekani Shezi’s effort found the back of the net. The error proved decisive as Kaizer Chiefs suffered a shock early exit from the tournament.

Da Cruz acknowledged that Petersen had failed to deal with the ball but rejected the suggestion that the goalkeeper should be held solely responsible for the defeat.

“I want to watch again the goal because I didn’t watch it,” Da Cruz said via his translator.

“The player [Petersen] missed his cross and when we lose, it’s all the team that lose.

“I don’t want to say we lose because of one player.”

The result means Kaizer Chiefs must wait at least another season for another opportunity to win the MTN8, a trophy they have not lifted since the 2014/15 campaign.

The Amakhosi are 15-time Wafa Wafa winners, but their latest attempt to reclaim the competition ended at the first hurdle on their return. Their defeat against Golden Arrows also denied them the chance to progress further after their two-year hiatus from the tournament.

Da Cruz said he wanted to review the goal before making a full assessment of the incident. His immediate focus, however, was on protecting Petersen from individual blame and emphasising that the result belonged to the entire team.

Petersen’s attempted intervention allowed Shezi to finish at the goalkeeper’s near post, but Da Cruz maintained that Kaizer Chiefs’ elimination could not be attributed to a single moment or player.

The loss at FNB Stadium leaves Golden Arrows to continue in the MTN8, while Kaizer Chiefs’ campaign is already over. The club will now have to wait until the next season to pursue the trophy that has eluded them since 2014/15.

The report was published by iDiski Times.

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