Brandon Petersen’s stellar derby for Chiefs enhances World Cup chances further

Brandon Petersen seems on the verge of making Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos’s squad for the 2026 World Cup.

Broos was in the stands as Petersen earned the Player of the Match award with a strong set of saves, especially as Orlando Pirates dominated the first half, that kept Kaizer Chiefs in the game in Sunday’s 1-1 Betway Premiership Soweto derby draw at a packed FNB Stadium.

Chiefs came out containing the Buccaneers far better defensively from the break, got some passes together, and in the 62nd minute Wandile Duba’s lightning breakout down the right led to Pule Mmodi striking past Petersen’s counterpart Sipho Chaine for the opening goal.

Pirates lifted the tempo again to earn Kamogelo Sebelebele’s 75th-minute equaliser and Petersen had to remain sharp until the end as Premiership-leading Bucs, needing points as they battle to unseat eight-time successive champions Mamelodi Sundowns in a thrilling title race, pushed for a winner.

At 31, Petersen, Chiefs’ captain this season, is enjoying probably his best season yet. He was in form before needing appendix surgery in late February, which saw the former Ajax Cape Town and Bidvest Wits goalkeeper out for March and early April. Before that, his performances had been eye-catching, including 11 clean sheets in 16 games as long-ailing Chiefs even led the league at one stage, and 16 in 28 matches in all competitions.

Eyebrows were raised when Broos overlooked Petersen in his squads in the second half of last year. However, the coach said in March if Petersen was not injured he would have been called up to the two home friendlies against Panama.

The keeper’s club absence, along with other key injuries, came as the bottom fell out of Chiefs’ outside chance of keeping pace with Pirates and Sundowns in the title chase after Amakhosi lost three league games in a row in February and early March.

He returned in Chiefs’ 2-0 win against TS Galaxy on April 12 and picked up where he left off. Petersen being back between the posts has come amid a major upturn in form for Chiefs ― Saturday’s draw was Chiefs’ seventh match (five wins in a row, then two draws) unbeaten as they have charged back up to third place.

Broos was in the stands as Petersen performed his heroics, earning his 13th league clean sheet of the season (19 matches) as part of a generally keyed-up performance by Amakhosi. They played with far less ball and chances, but earned a draw that keeps the aim of a best finish of third since being runners-up under Ernst Middendorp in 2019-20 through sheer grit, their keeper a major part of that.

Petersen in this game and the game before, and even before the injury, was showing good performances. He is working very well with his coach [Chiefs’ goalkeeper coach] Ilyes Mzoughi and I think, from my point of view, he deserves to be in the national team.

—  Khalil Ben Youssef

Chaine, also in form this season with 17 clean sheets in 25 games, was at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Morocco in January and February, where Bafana disappointed with a last 16 exit at the hands of Cameroon. Bucs’ keeper has since been axed as Broos has looked to get closer to the Sundowns core of his squad that had a best Afcon finish in 24 years of bronze in Ivory Coast in 2024, also hinting at some ill-discipline creeping in in Morocco, with Chaine’s name mentioned in South African Football Association circles as part of that.

That opens a place for a deputy to Sundowns and Bafana captain Ronwen Williams. As things stand, it would be a surprise if Petersen does not fill that gap.

Chiefs co-coach Khalil Ben Youssef believes his goalkeeper deserves that nod, and perhaps some other Amakhosi players too.

“It’s not only Petersen. We had four or five players putting pressure on the coach [Broos] and I feel for him because I think it will be tough for him to decide [on his final squad],” Ben Youssef said after the derby.

“Petersen in this game and the game before, and even before the injury, was showing good performances. He is working very well with his coach [Chiefs’ goalkeeper coach] Ilyes Mzoughi and I think, from my point of view, he deserves to be in the national team.

“The same for [left-back Bradley] Cross, the same for [midfielder Lebohang] Maboe, the same for [right-back Thabiso] Monyane. I think they are pushing and I think it’s time for players from Kaizer Chiefs to be part of the national team.”

Petersen was emotional after his strong derby in front of what seemed a worrying overcapacity of perhaps 100,000 in the cavernous 2010 World Cup final venue.

“It hasn’t been easy,” he told SABC Sport. ”Games like this are where you see the work you’ve been putting in. This award is for my wife and my family, my kids.

“Sometimes we fight silent battles. We pull up at training every day, we work hard, we’re consistent. Credit to the technical team, goalkeeper coach, my fellow goalkeepers. This is for all of them because without them I wouldn’t have been able to perform like I have been, pushing me every day at training.

“It was a tough game ― we knew it would be. But hats off to every player in the team; they worked exceptionally hard.”

Bafana play the opening game of the 2026 World Cup ― also hosted by Canada and the US ― against co-hosts Mexico at the Azteca in Mexico City on June 11 in a fascinating rematch of the 1-1 kickoff fixture draw at FNB Stadium in Africa’s first World Cup in 2010.

Broos’ team meet Czechia in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 18 and complete their Group A schedule against South Korea in Guadalupe, Mexico, on June 24.

Chiefs have five games left to play in the Premiership ― against Siwelele FC (away), Sundowns (away), Sekhukhune United (away), AmaZulu (home) and their final game against Chippa United at home on May 23. Keep barely putting a foot wrong and Petersen seems sure to earn himself a ticket on the plan to Mexico City in late May.