Kaizer Chiefs coach Fernando Da Cruz has refused to single out goalkeeper Brandon Petersen after Amakhosi suffered a frustrating 1-0 defeat to Golden Arrows in the MTN8 quarter-finals.
The result brought an early end to Chiefs’ return to the competition and denied Da Cruz a chance to make a deep cup run in his first season in charge.
Da Cruz refuses to blame Petersen
The decisive moment came in the 53rd minute when Golden Arrows attacker Khulekani Shezi spotted Petersen off his line and sent a long-range effort towards the Chiefs goal.
The ball sailed over the goalkeeper and found the net, handing Arrows the lead at FNB Stadium.
With Petersen receiving criticism for his positioning, Da Cruz was quick to defend his goalkeeper and insisted that the defeat could not be attributed to one player.
“I don’t want to say we lost because of one player,” Da Cruz said after the match.
The Chiefs coach also suggested that Shezi may have been attempting to deliver a cross rather than deliberately shooting at goal.
Da Cruz said he would analyse the incident again before making a final assessment.
Chiefs’ finishing proves costly
While the goalkeeper error became a major talking point, Da Cruz identified Kaizer Chiefs’ lack of efficiency in front of goal as a bigger concern.
The Glamour Boys created opportunities after falling behind but were unable to find the equaliser needed to take the quarter-final into extra time.
For a team hoping to challenge for silverware this season, converting chances will be an area Da Cruz and his technical team will want to address quickly.
MTN8 exit puts focus on league campaign
The defeat means Chiefs’ MTN8 campaign is over, while Golden Arrows advance to the semi-finals.
For Amakhosi, there is little time to dwell on the disappointment.
Chiefs return to FNB Stadium on Wednesday, 12 August, when they host Sekhukhune United in their first home Betway Premiership match of the 2026/27 season.
Kick-off is scheduled for 19:30.
After the early cup setback, Da Cruz will now be hoping his players respond strongly in the league and show that the MTN8 defeat was only a temporary setback.
