Malatsi urges Kaizer Chiefs to drop Petersen and give Leaner a chance

Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Thabiso Malatsi has called on the club to leave goalkeeper Brandon Petersen out of the team after another costly mistake, saying Renaldo Leaner should be given an opportunity.

Petersen made at least his fourth significant error of the season during Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Polokwane City. Kaizer Chiefs had taken the lead through Lebohang Maboe’s first-half goal, but the advantage disappeared with 17 minutes remaining.

Giovanni Philander’s effort was aimed at the near post, and Petersen was unable to deal with the shot. The former Bidvest Wits goalkeeper fumbled the ball as he collided with the post, and it passed through the net.

The mistake was the third occasion in the league on which Kaizer Chiefs have dropped points after an error by their 31-year-old captain. Against Mamelodi Sundowns, Petersen misjudged the flight of a cross, allowing Cassius Mailula to equalise during the final 15 minutes. Langelihle Phili had earlier put the Soweto club ahead in a match that also finished 1-1.

Petersen was also unable to control a back-pass while under pressure from Richards Bay’s Nqaba Xulu. The defender scored to put The Natal Rich Boyz 2-1 ahead before Kaizer Chiefs recovered to draw 2-2.

His mistake in the MTN8 had even more serious consequences, as Kaizer Chiefs were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Golden Arrows. Khulekani Shezi caught the Cape Town-born goalkeeper off his line with a cross-cum-shot that went in at the near post, securing a 1-0 victory for Arrows.

Malatsi believes the club must now shield Petersen from the growing anger among supporters and allow him time away from first-team football.

“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.

He said head coach Fernando Da Cruz would have recognised that Petersen was struggling and should act in the player’s interests.

“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.

Kaizer Chiefs’ next match is away to Arrows in a Betway Premiership fixture on Sunday afternoon.