Kaizer Chiefs captain Brandon Petersen believes the return of Rushwin Dortley is a significant boost for the club as they prepare for a crucial Soweto Derby showdown against Orlando Pirates.
Dortley recently returned to action after an extended spell on the sidelines through injury, with his availability providing Amakhosi with another important option as they look to strengthen their defensive department ahead of one of the biggest fixtures on the South African football calendar.
Petersen, who understands the challenges of recovering from a lengthy injury lay-off, was delighted to see the defender back in contention and believes his quality will add further value to the squad.
“It’s very good to have him back, being on the sidelines for so long is never easy, speaking from experience, knowing that when you have that kind of injury, the closer it gets, you start itching, you start making the matchday squad and then the chance to play,” Petersen said.
“I think the important thing is that first game – coming back and obviously that’s done now, and for us as a team, it’s added value to what we already have, we know the quality Rushwin has, it’s up to us now come the weekend we have the best combination with one goal in mind.”
The Chiefs captain also acknowledged the importance of the upcoming Derby, with the Glamour Boys knowing that every point matters as they look to close the gap on their rivals.
Petersen stressed that the priority will be to secure maximum points, while also using the occasion to assess where the team stands at this stage of the campaign.
“I think every point matters, coming into this weekend, playing a team on top of us, you wanna make sure you come home with three points to make sure they don’t run away with the points [in the league]. But at the end of the day, it’s also important to see where we are at this stage of the season,” he said.
Chiefs have also been working to address their struggles in front of goal, with Petersen hopeful that their recent midweek performance can provide the platform for an improved attacking return.
“Our main concern has been scoring goals, and hopefully this is the turning point for us, in the mid-week game we had, from here we build and make sure that we fight until the end of the season and give a good account of ourselves.”
With the Soweto Derby looming, Dortley’s return could prove valuable for Chiefs as they look to put together their strongest possible combination for the game that scheduled to kick off at 15h00 on Saturday.