Petersen unbothered by criticism ahead of Soweto derby

Kaizer Chiefs captain Brandon Petersen says he is comfortable with his place in the team and will not let outside criticism distract him as Amakhosi get ready for the Soweto derby against Orlando Pirates, according to IOL. The match takes place at FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Back from injury with a clean sheet

Petersen recently returned from a spell out injured and kept a clean sheet in Chiefs’ 3-0 win over TS Galaxy in the last 16 of the Carling Knockout Cup. IOL described the result as a welcome lift for the goalkeeper and the team.

Before he was injured, Petersen had come under fire from supporters after several costly mistakes. That criticism came even though he was one of the club’s best players last season, when he kept 15 clean sheets. Chiefs finished third on the league log, a better placing than they had managed since the 2019/20 campaign.

His form also brought him close to national honours. Petersen made the preliminary Bafana Bafana squad but was left out of the final group. IOL reported that this disappointment, together with the exit of goalkeeper coach Ilyes Mzoughi, was believed to have contributed to his slow start to the current season.

"Nothing to prove"

Petersen says he has been in football, and at Chiefs, long enough to know how lonely goalkeeping can be. He insists the negativity around him does not define who he is.

"I need to know my worth," he said, adding that he knows what he is capable of producing and that the people around him believe in him too.

On the pressure of a derby that is widely seen as a make-or-break occasion, he was equally calm. "I think for me there’s nothing to prove," Petersen said. He stressed that the team matters more than what people say about him, and that his job this week is to make sure everyone is ready to "fight our socks off".

He also spoke about the players around him, saying his teammates are ready to go to war for each other and that it is all about unity and togetherness.

What is at stake for Chiefs

IOL noted that a strong performance and a win would go a long way towards rebuilding confidence at the club. It could also give head coach Fernando da Cruz some breathing room, after sporting director Kaizer Motaung Jr recently backed him publicly.

For fans planning to follow the match, the derby is on Saturday afternoon at FNB Stadium. The source did not give a kick-off time, so supporters should check the official PSL or club channels for confirmed details.

This story is based on reporting by IOL.