Kaizer Chiefs head coach Ernst Middendorp has confirmed he will stick with Nigerian goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi as his number one choice despite his blunder in last weekend’s league clash against Polokwane City, Completesports.com reports.
Akpeyi has come under intense criticism for his blunder against Polokwane City which cost Kaizer Chiefs all two points in their 1-1 draw.
The former Warri Wolves goalkeeper allowed Walter Musona’s shot from distance to creep underneath his hands and body and into goal.
Kaizer Chiefs remain nine points adrift of league leaders Bidvest Wits, with just nine games remaining in the Absa Premiership campaign.
Middendorp openly criticised Akpeyi after the game at the Peter Mokaba Stadium, however, he assures the pecking order will not change ahead of their clash with Highlands Park at the Moses Mabhida Stadium this weekend.
“No, it’s not about (the one mistake). We’ll observe it during the week, and we have the next game on the weekend (against Highlands Park), and then we will see,” the Kaizer Chiefs coach told kick-off.com.
“Actually, it’s not fooling around – Daniel is the goalkeeper in the league and Bruce [Bvuma] is playing the Nedbank Cup, that’s where we are standing at the moment.
“You’ll understand, please, that at the time directly after a game I can confirm it.”
By Adeboye Amosu
2 Comments
_Akpeyi not dropped_
Contrary to what I thought, it appears that Daniel Akpeyi wasn’t dropped to the bench over the weekend because of poor performance.
According to reports emanating from South Africa, the coach of Kaizer – who is still very happy with Akpeyi – gave the second goalkeeper a chance to prepare him for an upcoming cup match.
According to citizen.co.za, Kaizer Chiefs coach said:“We have a very important game at the end of the month against Cape Town City and I have gone to watch them,” said Middendorp.
“We have to be well- prepared for that game. Daniel is cup-tied and we have to prepare Bruce now.
“We can’t say in the last week let us give him a training session now. That is not how it works.
That was what the change was for. I am very happy with Daniel, he is an international keeper and has been invited to the Nigeria team,” he added. (Source://citizen.co.za/phakaaathi/south-africa-soccer-phakaaathi-phakaaathi/2098834/chiefs-coach-explains-why-bvuma-started-ahead-of-akpeyi/)
That was a relief as I thought Akpeyi had lost the confidence of his new coach; mercifully, that wasn’t the case.
Ok.