Petersen wants to help Chiefs see off Pirates after missing last derby

Having missed this season’s first Betway Premiership Soweto derby due to injury, Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Brandon Petersen wants to make amends by producing a strong performance and helping his side beat Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium on Sunday (3pm).

Petersen Chiefs 3-0 defeat against the Buccaneers in February.

After returning in time for the Glamour Boys and keeping two clean sheets against TS Galaxy and Polokwane City, he is pleased he is available to face Pirates for an Amakhosi that has also improved notably in form since that first game.

“Very disappointing obviously, not being able to be part of the first derby I was looking forward to. But it’s part of football, it’s part of life,” Petersen said at the pre-derby press conference in Johannesburg on Thursday.

“Now coming back, it has been good and some good results are coming in and I’m definitely looking forward to the next derby.

“Everyone wants to play. For me, it is an opportunity for everyone to go out and enjoy the occasion and also go out to show what you are capable of, not only as an individual but as a team.”

With Pirates fighting for the league title, the 31-year-old insisted he does not view the match as an opportunity for Chiefs to hand a title blow to their archrivals. He stressed Amakhosi have more serious targets of their own as they aim to secure a top-three finish.

Things didn’t go well [last season] — we ended up winning the Nedbank Cup, but in terms of the league and all of that, I felt a little bit disappointed

—  Brandon Petersen

“It’s to go out and win this game for our reasons, not a title blow or anything like that.”

Petersen, 31, has been cornerstone of Chiefs’ solidity at the back, keeping an impressive 13 clean sheets in 19 games this season and being touted as a candidate for PSL Footballer of the Season.

“Probably one of the best, if not my best, season. It has been a special one for me. It’s been a good one. I had a good start to the season and also, I’ve learnt a lot especially from last season.

“Things didn’t go well [last season] — we ended up winning the Nedbank Cup, but in terms of the league and all of that, I felt a little bit disappointed. The season was disappointing, we conceded a lot of goals, silly errors.”

Sowetan