The pressure is mounting on Kaizer Chiefs Head Coach Ernst Middendorp to drop Daniel Akpeyi as first choice goalkeeper for Itumeleng Khune ahead of the Soweto Derby against Orlando Pirates this weekend.
Akpeyi has made 17 league appearances this season and ended up on the winning side 11 times including in the first Soweto derby of the season.
The Nigerian has also kept 8 clean sheets in that time ensuring Chiefs remain top of the league.
However, following the 2-1 defeat to Maritzburg United in their last PSL outing and the obvious return to fitness of South Africa international Khune, the calls for a change of guard grew by a decibel.
Khune’s Shoulder injury in 2018, kept him out until August 2019 and prompted Chiefs move for Akpeyi last year.
However, the Nigerian “has been doing well, but not well enough to say he’s number one,” said former Kaizer Chiefs’ goalkeeper Brian Baloyi.
Baloyi told kick-off, “Ja with that one you know I’m going to be bias, you know Khune is my boy.
“I’m going to stick with him. Unfortunately we can’t tell much about the past game, there was too much rain. We can’t fault him that much, but the Derby at this stage needs experience more than anything.
“For me the more there’s doubts about who’s number one at Chiefs, the more it destabilises the team. The coach and staff should find a better way of resolving this issue and talk about it, instead of just dismissing it.
Akpeyi has been doing well, but not well enough to say he’s number one, not well enough to say… when you look at the past Derby, he was at fault for maybe two goals.
“And when you say you need other options for the team to play, Khune can give you those options with the distribution. So I think the team should be looking at using his experience in the game.
“It might be very controversial to say who’s going to play, but if it were me I would play Khune, if I were the coach.”
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