From heros to ‘victims of referees’ – A weekend of the goalkeepers

Goalkeepers took centre in the DStv Premiership action on Saturday with some displaying heroic performances while others would rather forget their matches. 

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The day’s biggest game and the much anticipated Soweto derby produced both a hero and a villain. The home side’s Siyabonga Mpontshane was not a fan favourite after letting in two goals that some felt he could have saved. 

The Orlando Pirates keeper was beaten by Reeve Frosler’s hit from outside the box for the first goal. While he stretched trying to get to it, his reaction was a little delayed and he could not get to it. 

And for the second, he came out but looked to pull out at the crucial time to allow Erick Mathoho a free header into an empty net. 

On the other end, Brandon Petersen was producing some fine saves that ended any doubt that he was an able and capable keeper for the hotly contested position at Naturena. 

He was the reason Pirates could not get more than the one goal they scored, and some – including I – believe he should have been the Man-of-the-Match instead of Bernard Parker. 

In the game between SuperSport and AmaZulu later on, the same scenario happened with the keepers – one was a hero and the other a villain. Ronwen Williams saved a penalty in the second half to keep Matsatsantsa in the game as Usuthu were looking for a way back. 

But his opposite number, Veli Mothwa had a day he would rather forget. 

Mothwa could not handle what looked to be an easy catch in the first half and dropped the ball for Jesse Donn to score the first goal. 

For the second goal, Mothwa tried to clear the ball but he kicked it as far as Rodney Rainers. And he tried to rush out to try and get it back but Rainers shook a shot and scored. 

Later in the evening, the goalkeepers were again in the spotlight in the Maritzburg United versus Mamelodi Sundowns game. Maritzburg’s Marcel Engelhardt made some brave saves and also saved Themba Zwane’s penalty late in the game. 

Kennedy Mweene on the other hand – he had very little to do on the night – became a victim of poor officiating when a penalty was awarded against him. He came out to try and tackle Amadou Soukouna but pulled out. 

He was however too late and referee Thando Ndzandzeka thought he had made the tackle as the striker dived, and gave the penalty. Soukouna scored from the spot kick to hand Sundowns their second league defeat.