Rwanda and Kaizer Chiefs’ number one goalkeeper, Fiacre Ntwari, has responded to criticism aimed at his performances at club level in the PSL.
Ntwari has been the preferred goalkeeper under Chiefs head coach Nasreddine Nabi, with Bruce Bvuma, Brandon Peterson, and Bontle Molefe playing second fiddle.
The highly-rated Ntwari joined Amakhosi ahead of the 2024/25 season, carrying high expectations following his impressive performances at TS Galaxy.
However, Ntwari has come under heavy criticism from the Soweto giants fans for his unconvincing displays between the posts. Even Chiefs legend William Shongwe recently raised concerns about Ntwari, highlighting issues with his shot-stopping and decision-making in an interview with FARPost.
These concerns were evident in Chiefs’ recent matches, including the 4-0 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns in the Carling Knockout Cup and the 2-2 draw against Magesi in the league. These poor results led to frustration among supporters, who resorted to booing Ntwari during some games.
Ntwari has conceded in all five of Chiefs’ league matches this season. Overall, he has let in 11 goals in seven games across all competitions, with only one clean sheet to his name.
FIACRE NTWARI RESPONDS TO CRITICISM AMID HIS KAIZER CHIEFS FALSE START
Ntwari defended his performances in Chiefs colours, stating that he is not solely responsible for the team’s struggles. He pointed out that The Glamour Boys have had a challenging start to the season, accumulating only seven points from five matches. The below-par form has resulted in Chiefs slipping to eighth position on the log standings with only two victories to their name.
“It’s not about me being the problem,” said Ntwari, as quoted by Rwanda’s Leading Daily – The NewTimes. “The issue is that the team isn’t in a good place right now.
“We started the season well, but over the last three games, we haven’t performed as expected. This is a team with a passionate fan base, and the pressure to win every match is always there.”
Ntwari further stated that he understands that fan frustrations towards players are a common occurrence in football, especially at clubs with a big following like Amakhosi.
“It’s not a big deal. These things happen in football,” added the goalie. “You can’t win every match, and sometimes fans don’t handle that well. But that’s the reality of the sport. I believe things will improve in the coming days.
“Sometimes players are at fault, but the only way forward is to keep working hard. We will continue giving everything to ensure the team gets back on track,” added the 25-year-old goalie.
Ntwari is set to return to Chiefs with a setback, having picked up an injury while on international duty with Rwanda in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers.
He started in goal but was forced to be substituted after 69 minutes due to an injury as Rwanda beat Nigeria 2-1 in Uyo on Monday.
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