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The former Amakhosi player watches the game against the Clever Boys and says the Super Eagles keeper is still the best option in goal.
Former Kaizer Chiefs defender Patrick Mayo believes his former club is under pressure and desperate for points, but they can’t blame goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi for his loss to the Mamelodi Sundowns earlier in the week.
The retired defender and hit man, however, hopes that the clash with Bidvest Wits in their 28th Premier Soccer League (PSL) clash on Sunday afternoon will allow the Chiefs to fix their back problems.
On the other hand, the absence of the Bafana Bafana Itumeleng Khune’s number has left many calling for the departure of the Nigerian, who has conceded eight goals in his last five games, and Mayo believes that the goal he conceded against the Mamelodi Sundowns could have been avoided. .
“First of all, I can’t blame Akpeyi for their struggles because they don’t have a center back to lead that defense,” Mayo said. objective.
“So if the defense leaks, that means the goalkeeper will eventually concede because he’s the last line of defense. He saves them in so many games and he can’t always be a savior, he will save them to some extent.
“I will not blame Akpeyi and even if they can have Khune for the remaining three games, if the Chiefs are destined to lose, we are going to lose.
“For example, this objective was affected by [Gaston] Sirino. How is it that their centrals push at the same time? I think they needed someone to push them [Erick] Mathoho was right to press but [Daniel] Cardoso should have stayed.
“The back heel by [Themba] Zwane allowed Sirino a clear view of the goal and with Akpeyi forced out, it was easy to score that goal.
“I think Cardoso could have cleared the ball if he had stayed behind waiting for the pass. It was too late for him to clear to face Sirino. In my opinion, the Chiefs need a central defender who marks the last line of defense. “
Since the resumption of football, Ernst Middendorp’s men have only recorded a single victory over Polokwane City, drawing two against Clever Boys and Stellenbosch, but succumbing to the same number of defeats at the hands of Bloemfontein Celtic and Masandawana.
With that in mind, Mayo believes the Soweto giants are starting to feel the pressure.
“The bosses are under pressure, nobody expected the results, especially the loss to Celtic. I think that’s where things started to fall apart, ”he added.
“That 3-1 loss really made things a bit difficult for the club and he will have to be very strong to come back.”
Furthermore, the Port Elizabeth legend is of the opinion that the registry leaders will benefit from the return of Samir Nurkovic to the FNB Stadium.
“It’s going to be a tough game for both teams, Wits is gaining momentum and it’s challenging for the Chiefs because they are desperate for maximum points,” Mayo continued.
“You’d say it’s not the right time for the Chiefs to face Wits because they are fresh from a 1-0 loss to Sundowns and I just hope they wake up after that loss.
“[Samir] Nurkovic’s absence definitely had an effect on his loss to Sundowns, that was a great game where you needed all of your best players in shape when it came to experience. “
