Ahead of the much-anticipated Soweto Derby in the Betway Premiership, Collins Mbesuma has picked which goalkeeper he thinks is better between Brandon Petersen and Sipho Chaine.
Mbesuma addressed the media during a virtual press conference hosted by SuperSport last Friday, ahead of the upcoming derby.
Petersen has had a stellar first half of the season for Kaizer Chiefs, while Chaine has continued his fine form for Orlando Pirates. Mbesuma is confident that the two goalkeepers, who are currently competing for the most clean sheets in the Betway Premiership, will play vital roles in the derby.
Chiefs and Pirates lock horns at the iconic FNB Stadium on Saturday. Kick off is 15h30 CAT.
Amakhosi captain Petersen has recorded 11 league clean sheets, while Chaine has 12, setting up an intriguing contest this weekend. Petersen’s growing influence has been notable since he wrested the number one jersey last season in the Nedbank Cup final. He was key as the Glamour Boys ended an almost 10-year trophy drought.
WHO COLLINS MBESUMA’S PICK BETWEEN CHAINE AND PETERSEN
“I go with Petersen,” the former Chiefs striker, Mbesuma, said. He added that the one thing he liked about the Amakhosi goalie was “his arrogance.”
“You can feel him. Even when he was on the bench, the way he communicates with the players inside…he is a leader. In these types of games, you need leadership, especially from the back because the goalkeeper is the one who sees the game properly.”
Interestingly, Petersen has previously come under fire for what Mbesuma terms “his arrogance” during Cavin Johnson’s tenure. Petersen, an unused substitute on the day, was caught on camera shouting at Johnson and then walking away.
But the coach said afterwards that he would have been more surprised if none of his players was frustrated after losing to Pirates.
“It’s normal. I want my players to react when we lose. I want them to react, and if they react to me, then I take all that on my shoulder because tomorrow I will fix up whatever the reaction is and that is football,” Johnson explained at the time.
Pirates aim to bounce back on Saturday after their defeat in the top-of-the-table clash against Mamelodi Sundowns last week. That loss reduced Sundowns’ lead at the top to just three points. They also faced another setback in the Nedbank Cup, when Casric Stars eliminated them in a penalty shootout.
On the other hand, Chiefs are also under pressure after being eliminated from the CAF Confederation Cup and the Nedbank Cup. Their only remaining chance for a trophy this season is the league title. To stay in contention, they must secure a victory against their fierce rivals.
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