A sudden illness may hamper the chances of Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Brandon Petersen to join the Bafana Bafana squad for the World Cup.
Petersen, who started the season until the break of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in December, fighting against prominent goalkeepers, was admitted to the hospital before the home game against Orlando Pirates last month.
Although the Chiefs did not extend Petersen’s admission to the hospital, it turned out that he had to undergo surgery.
Since the historic home game that the Chiefs defeated 3-0, Petersen has never been seen on the field since the jersey has fallen to Bruce Bvuma.
When the Bafana coach, Hugo Broos, announced his squad to face Panama in two friendly matches within the senior year, he revealed that Petersen stayed behind because he had a problem.
“Petersen’s form since the start of the season speaks for itself, so he should be in this squad,” said Broos.
“This is embarrassing for us because we would have liked to see him up close, but there is nothing we can do because the situation is the one that did not agree.
Petersen was not only leading the Chiefs as a light in the games he played before the surgery but he was also in the competition for goals in the league with Sipho Chaine of Orlando Pirates. This put him in a position to win the best goalkeeper award, Betway Premiership Goalkeeper of The Season, which is in Chaine’s locker.
Usually the goalkeeper with the fewest goals in a season takes home the award.
Chaine has conceded 15 goals in 22 games this season and is the leading scorer.
Petersen has fallen to third place with goals conceded 11 times out of 16 in the league after being overtaken by Durban City’s Darren Keet who has conceded 12 times out of 22.
Although the squad that will play in the World Cup has not been announced yet, what is clear is that it will come from the players who will play the friendly matches with Panama. Petersen, who is yet to return to the field, has two months left to prove to Bruce that he deserves a place in the squad.
