Khune dropped by Kaizer Chiefs for Celtic clash

Itumeleng Khune has been left out of the side by Amakhosi head coach Gavin Hunt for Amakhosi’s DStv Premiership match against Bloemfontein Celtic at FNB Stadium on Saturday evening.

READ MORE: Five things to look out for in the DStv Premiership this weekend

Nigerian Daniel Akpeyi regains his place in goal after 33 year-old former Bafana Bafana captain Khune made horrendous mistakes in successive matches for Chiefs, against Black Leopards and SuperSport United.

Akpeyi was preferred in goal by previous Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp, and was nominated for Goalkeeper of the Season, but had problems with his passport at the start of this season, and Khune was selected in goal by the new Amakhosi coach,

However, errors crept into Khune’s game from the off with a couple of notable mistakes in a 3-0 thumping by Mamelodi Sundowns. Akpeyi briefly got back in the team, but Khune returned after the Nigerian had been between the poles for a 5-0 aggregate thumping by Orlando Pirates in the MTN8 semifinals.

He even made the Bafana Bafana squad for the two Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sao Tome in Novembrer, but against Leopards on December 9, the ‘keeper famed for his excellent distribution passed the ball straight to Ovidy Karuru, who accepted the gift though Chiefs came back to draw the match 2-2.

Against SuperSport on December 15, a similar error allowed Bradley Grobler to lob the ball over the Chiefs captain and this was clearly a final straw for Hunt, who has now turned again to Akpeyi between the poles. The Nigerian, now 34, did have a superb 2019/20 campaign and will hope he can now convince Hunt, like Middendorp, to make him the permanent number one at Naturena.

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