Veteran Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune will start ahead of Daniel Akpeyi in goals for Sunday’s MTN8 quarterfinal clash, according to head coach Gavin Hunt.
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Having featured in Amakhosi’s last two matches of the 2019/20 season, Khune, 33, will continue to do duty between the sticks, with Akpeyi currently forced out due to admin issues.
“Daniel is not available on Sunday, his passport is expired, it’s a bit of an admin problem. I think Khune might just make the team!” Hunt said in an interview with SAFM’s Thabiso Mosia on Thursday evening.
The Bafana Bafana shot-stopper played second fiddle to the Nigerian goalkeeper last season under Ernst Middendorp, aiding Chiefs to conceding the second least amount of goals in the league behind Mamelodi Sundowns.
Hunt’s charges have also been scuppered by a huge number of injuries and suspensions, and are unfortunately still waiting to hear whether their appeal against a two-window Fifa transfer ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland is successful.
Players such as Samir Nurkovic, Leonardo Castro, and Erick Mathoho are all unavailable due to respective injuries, while Willard Katsande and Lebogang Manyama are both suspended for the match against Maritzburg United.
“It is huge,” he said.
“I don’t have to explain why, you can see what is happening around us (at other clubs). We need reinforcements, especially as we are playing in Africa. We have a very small squad and right now we have so many out, we are really thin. We need to try (and get players) if we can, otherwise we have got to look at our younger players. There are six or seven there, it is a great opportunity for them.”
The former Bidvest Wits mentor will be hoping to shake off the hoodoo tag that haunted Chiefs the whole of last season as they failed to register a single victory from three meetings against the Team of Choice.