Veteran goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune has publicly backed teammate Yusuf Maart after the latter's missed penalty against Golden Arrows.
Khune stated that Maart possesses a strong penalty-taking ability and employs a technique that presents significant challenges for any goalkeeper.
The missed spot-kick occurred early in the match, which ultimately saw Kaizer Chiefs lose 2-1 to Abafana Bes'thende despite Maart later finding the net to equalize.
Following the miss, some Chiefs supporters voiced their displeasure with boos, prompting Khune to defend Maart's decision to take the penalty and to highlight his overall positive penalty record.
The defeat was Chiefs' tenth of the current campaign, sealed by a late goal from Knox Mutizwa.
‘PEOPLE WILL SAY HE WAS CASUAL BUT…’
“He’s a responsible captain, despite the criticism he’s been going through, he’s taken the responsibility to raise his hand and be counted. He’s a a senior player, he’s the captain,” the former Chiefs captain-turned analyst said on SABC as quoted by iDiski Times.
“This is how he takes his penalties. People will say ‘he was too casual’, but that’s how he takes his penalties. And before he’s converted a lot of his penalties.
“He is a great penalty taker because he uses both his feet. The way he was standing you will never know whether he is going with his right or left, or to the left-hand side or to the right…
“But the goalkeeper stood, waited for him, even though he didn’t get a touch, he went to the right side.”
