Petersen Reacts To Rare Start In The Nedbank Cup Final
Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Brandon Petersen has reflected on getting the nod to start in goal, a decision that raised eyebrows in their 2-1 victory over Orlando Pirates in the Nedbank Cup final at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.
Amakhosi ended their decade-long trophy drought at the expense of their fierce rivals, preventing the Buccaneers from making PSL history by clinching the Ke Yona Cup for the third successive time in the process.
While Gaston Sirino broke the deadlock eight minutes from the first whistle before Evidence Makgopa leveled matters moments later, it was former Pirates player and current Chiefs captain Yusuf Maart who scored the decisive goal that took the trophy to Naturena in the closing stages.
In the wake of the result, Petersen expressed immense gratitude to the technical team for the belief they showed in him in the blockbuster clash, having only featured three times this season, with his last appearance dating back to December before his surprise inclusion in the starting XI in the final.
“The amount of work we put in at training, all the goalkeepers, I think anyone put in the posts today [Saturday] would have done the job. And obviously, coming in was a huge responsibility, but it also showed me the belief they had in me,” Petersen said.
“We do a lot of hard work; our goalkeeping department got a lot of stick in the last couple of weeks, and we were under a lot of pressure. And for me to be granted this opportunity to play is a huge honor and a huge blessing for me.”
Petersen went on to state that winning a trophy with the Glamour Boys is a dream come true, as he admits wearing the Chiefs jersey comes with a lot of pressure. Moreover, the 30-year-old shot-stopper dedicated the title to the club’s hierarchy, supporters, and everyone associated with the team.
“To win the trophy is a dream come true, I mean have been here for four years now hunting for a trophy every season and I know we made a lot of promises in the past and I think we can finally tick it also that we broke the curse 10 years later,” he added.
“The guys did phenomenal work, and the confidence that the guys gave me coming in, I haven’t played a lot this season, coming in, there’s always going to be that pressure. Playing for Chiefs is pressure, but pressure is a privilege.
“I think today [Saturday] we showed up and I think we wanted it more and this one was for the chairman [Dr Kaizer Motaung], for our families, all the sacrifices they have made, and all our wonderful supporters, everyone that’s backing us and the Kaizer Chiefs family.”
Petersen, who joined Chiefs in July 2021, will be keen to retain his place in the goals and add to his four appearances across all competitions this season when Nasreddine Nabi’s men return to Betway Premiership action with a visit to Sekhukhune United at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday, the club’s second to last game of the season.
