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The former Bafana number one looked slow and unconfident against Mamelodi Sundowns at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
The Kaizer Chiefs’ positive start to the season against Maritzburg United now seems like a somewhat distant memory after an error-filled performance against the Mamelodi Sundowns at FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon resulted in a 3-0 defeat in the match. opening of the Premier Soccer League. season.
There were suggestions that the feel-good factor could be set to return to Glamor Boys camp, but now, after 90 minutes against a polished-looking Sundowns team, there will be a couple of headaches for new coach Gavin Hunt.
One was the fact that his team missed a number of decent scoring chances on the day, even when you factor in the saves by Sundowns goalkeeper Denis Onyango.
However, Onyango’s form that day was in contrast to that of the man who has been Bafana Bafana’s number one goalkeeper for most of the last decade, Itumeleng Khune.
In fact, it was Onyango who beat Khune’s Chiefs teammate Daniel Akpeyi in the PSL Goalkeeper of the Season award on Thursday night.
But back to Khune … There were signs of things to come before the howl that led Peter Shalulile to score the opening goal in the 37th minute.
The first came in the 15th minute, when the veteran closer appeared to misjudge a cross shot from Hlompho Kekana and had to react roughly to keep the ball out of the net.
Then, in the 22nd minute, Khune ran out of his area to intercept a direct pass, but lost all composure when he kicked the ball directly to Shalulile. The Namibian might as well have scored, but Ramahlwe Mphahlele avoided Khune’s blushes with a save at the goal line.
When the goal came, it was from Shalulile, and it was clearly Khune’s doing when he fluttered weakly around a corner and couldn’t make any contact. The lack of authority in which Khune came out is what may concern Amakhosi’s technical team the most.
Khune didn’t have much work to do after that, but he still managed to contribute more to the Sundowns cause for his third and final goal when he hastily dropped former Chiefs midfielder George Maluleka into the area, allowing Themba Zwane seal victory with a penalty in the 89th minute.
Not that Maluleka had to do much to win the shot from point of view, it was a pretty ordinary touch past the goalie, but with her head seemingly still plagued by previous mistakes, Khune made the most basic mistake in taking her out. opponent. .
Now he has left head coach Gavin Hunt with a difficult decision.
Hunt will know the story: that Akpeyi arrived last season and took over the goalkeeping job after Khune’s injury problems.
Either out of respect for Khune or because of what he had looked like on training ground, Hunt decided to return the South African international to the starting lineup and relegated Akpeyi to the bench.
But with the MTN8 semi-finals against arch-rivals Orlando Pirates looming (following a league clash with Chippa United), Hunt has a tough decision on whether to call the Nigerian or risk Khune losing confidence.
