Junior Khanye backs Polokwane City goal and blames Chiefs goalkeeper Petersen

Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Brandon Petersen has been criticised by former club midfielder Junior Khanye after the controversial equaliser conceded against Polokwane City in the Betway Premiership on Saturday.

Chiefs took the lead through Lebogang Maboe in the 29th minute, but Polokwane City drew level in the 73rd minute to secure a 1-1 draw.

The equalising goal has since sparked debate, with footage shared on social media appearing to show the incident from several angles. Some viewers questioned whether the ball had gone into the net through the side netting rather than crossing the goal-line.

Khanye, however, believes the goal was valid and said Petersen was responsible for the concession. Speaking exclusively to the Siya crew, the former Chiefs player also raised doubts about the goalkeeper’s recent displays and pointed to what he considers a repeated weakness in Petersen’s game.

“Look, I’ve always had a lot of questions about Brandon Petersen’s goalkeeping and it’s just that people wouldn’t believe me, because at the time he was seen as a player who was doing well,” Khanye said.

“Yes, there had been improvement in his game during the course of last season, and his performances also helped the team to improve in getting the results. But for me, his goalkeeping has always been questionable.”

Khanye highlights near-post concerns

Khanye argued that Petersen had previously made similar errors, particularly when dealing with attempts directed towards his near post.

“His errors have been from similar actions on the field, conceding goals from the near post. As an experienced goalkeeper, he can’t be making similar kinds of mistakes,” he said.

The debate over the netting did not alter Khanye’s view of the incident.

“For me, that’s a legitimate goal, and it’s from his blunder,” he said.

A number of video clips have circulated online, each claiming to offer a different perspective on the goal. Khanye cautioned that such footage should be assessed carefully because of the growing use of manipulated and AI-generated content.

“I am aware that there have been a lot of clips circulating on social media showing us different angles of the goal, and as the generation living in the times of AI one has got to be careful in looking at these things,” he explained.

Despite that warning, Khanye remained certain that Polokwane City’s equaliser should have stood.

“I still believe that was a legitimate goal from Petersen’s mistake,” he added.

He also pointed to the reaction of the Chiefs players immediately after the ball entered the net as support for his interpretation of the incident.

“Had it not been legitimate, Brandon Petersen and the Chiefs defenders and the entire team would have reacted and protested against the goal. That didn’t happen, which means they saw that it was a legitimate goal,” Khanye concluded.

The result left Chiefs with a single point, while Petersen’s latest concession continues to draw scrutiny.