The Kaizer Chiefs team has suffered a major blow due to the injuries of captain and key player Brandon Petersen, as well as forward Wandile Duba.
Brandon Petersen sustained a knee injury during Tuesday morning training and is preliminarily expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks. Meanwhile, Wandile Duba will be unable to play for approximately two weeks due to a hip and groin injury.
This season, Petersen started and played all seven matches in all tournaments. However, his play has been inconsistent, and he made critical errors against Golden Arrows, Mamelodi Sundowns, Richards Bay, and Polokwane City, contributing to a loss against Arrows and lost points.
Amid these difficulties, calls intensified for coach Fernando da Cruz to consider replacing Petersen and giving new goalkeeper Renaldo Leaner a chance in the upcoming Betway Premiership match against Arrows at Mbombela Stadium on Sunday at 15:00.
However, due to these unfortunate circumstances, Da Cruz is forced to make changes to the goalkeeping line, aiming to enter the FIFA international break with a win and maintain an impeccable start to the league season.
Furthermore, the French coach must find a replacement for Duba. The young forward showed an impressive start to the campaign, scoring three goals in five league matches, although he is expected to miss only the match against Arrows before returning from the break.
Faiz Abrahams, who made an effective substitute appearance against Siwelele, prompting a goal from Samukelo Xulu, is well-suited for his first start and could replace Duba. This forward, hailing from Cape Town, has shown promise from the bench since joining the club, but he understands that regular playing time is vital for securing a permanent transfer from Stellenbosch.