Veteran goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune is likely to make a return to the Kaizer Chiefs starting line-up in the Soweto derby encounter against Swallows FC.
Chiefs will host Swallows in the DStv Premiership at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Monday, 1 May [3pm].
Arthur Zwane’s troops will be riding high on confidence following their hard-fought 1-0 victory over Chippa United at a packed Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Thursday afternoon.
Ashley Du Preez scored the only goal of the match; a stunner as Chiefs remained fourth on the log standings with 44 points, two behind third-placed Orlando Pirates and three adrift of SuperSport United, who are in second spot.
The Chippa win, which kept Chiefs’ hopes of playing continental football next season alive came at a price as the Soweto side will head into the Swallows game without one of their key players.
Most recently, Chiefs coach, Zwane identified injuries and player suspensions as some of the factors derailing the club’s progress.
He believes that the club is having an underwhelming season due to suspensions to key players and injuries, insisting that they “have very unfortunate when it comes to that. The starting line-up keeps changing; we have to reshuffle the team; if it is not a suspension, it is injury.”
Goalie Brandon Petersen is the latest player to be ruled out of a game due to suspension.
Chiefs’ number one will miss the Swallows game after accumulating four yellow cards. These bookings came against Chippa United, TS Galaxy and Maritzburg United twice [in the league and Nedbank Cup].
As a result, Zwane will have to pick a worthy replacement for Petersen, who has played 19 games in competitions with 10 clean-sheets to his name.
WHY KHUNE HAS AN ADVANTAGE OVER BVUMA
Itumeleng Khune is itching for some game time as he’s been out of action since January against Mamelodi Sundowns.
The 35-year-old is likely to start the match in Peterson’s absence. Khune’s advantage over Bvuma is in terms of experience, but both keepers have struggled for game time this season.
Khune has played 11 matches, conceded 12 goal, keeping two clean-sheets. Bvuma has featured only four times, let in 12 goals and has one clean-sheet. The last time Bvuma played was in a 2-2 draw against TS Galaxy in October 2022.
WHAT ARTHUR ZWANE SAID ABOUT ITUMELENG KHUNE
Not so long ago, Kaizer Chiefs coach Arthur Zwane said Khune is ready to step in when needed.
“He is still one of the goalkeepers. You know, if anything happens to Brandon [Petersen] and Bruce [Bvuma], he is there to step in,” said Zwane.
Khune has conceded 12 goals and kept two clean-sheets, whilst Bvuma has let in seven in four matches keeping only one clean-sheet.
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