Petersen hails Dortley return ahead of crucial Soweto Derby

Kaizer Chiefs captain Brandon Petersen says Rushwin Dortley’s return from injury has given the club a significant boost before Saturday’s crucial Soweto Derby against Orlando Pirates.

Dortley has recently returned to action following an extended spell on the sidelines, providing Amakhosi with another defensive option as they prepare for one of the biggest fixtures on the South African football calendar.

Petersen, who knows the difficulty of recovering from a lengthy injury lay-off, was pleased to see the defender back in contention and believes his quality can strengthen the squad.

“It’s very good to have him back, being on the sidelines for so long is never easy, speaking from experience, knowing that when you have that kind of injury, the closer it gets, you start itching, you start making the matchday squad and then the chance to play,” Petersen said.

“I think the important thing is that first game – coming back and obviously that’s done now, and for us as a team, it’s added value to what we already have, we know the quality Rushwin has, it’s up to us now come the weekend we have the best combination with one goal in mind.”

The Chiefs captain also underlined the importance of the fixture, with his side aiming to reduce the gap on their rivals. He said securing three points would be the immediate priority, while the match would also offer an indication of where the team stands at this stage of the season.

“I think every point matters, coming into this weekend, playing a team on top of us, you wanna make sure you come home with three points to make sure they don’t run away with the points [in the league]. But at the end of the day, it’s also important to see where we are at this stage of the season,” he said.

Kaizer Chiefs have also been working to improve their record in front of goal. Petersen hopes the team’s midweek performance can mark a change in fortunes and provide a foundation for a stronger finish to the campaign.

“Our main concern has been scoring goals, and hopefully this is the turning point for us, in the mid-week game we had, from here we build and make sure that we fight until the end of the season and give a good account of ourselves.”

Dortley’s return gives Chiefs another selection option as they seek their strongest possible combination for the Soweto Derby.

The match is scheduled to kick off at 15h00 on Saturday.