- Kaizer Chiefs coach Fernando Da Cruz revealed the club is battling a significant injury crisis ahead of key fixtures
- Leaner suffered a finger injury in training days before the Red Arrows clash, forcing a change between the sticks
- With three goalkeepers now in contention for one spot, Amakhosi face a selection headache across three competitions
Kaizer Chiefs' mounting injury woes claimed another casualty as goalkeeper Renaldo Leaner was ruled out of the club's CAF Confederation Cup second preliminary round second leg against Red Arrows on Friday, coach Fernando Da Cruz has confirmed.
Leaner, who joined the Soweto giants from Sekhukhune United, had made a strong case for himself as first choice after stepping in for the injured Brandon Petersen. He had been particularly impressive in the first leg in Zambia, producing a string of notable saves despite the 1-0 defeat.
Da Cruz disclosed that the 28-year-old sustained a finger injury during a training session on Wednesday, ruling him out at the worst possible moment.
"Renaldo was injured in his finger [on Wednesday]," the coach said. "So, he couldn't play and we said yesterday, we haven't been lucky with injuries. When you see our team today, we have five players injured, and when you look at the performance of the team, it's very positive."
With Leaner sidelined, Bruce Bvuma was handed the starting berth, while a fit-again Petersen was named among the substitutes. Bvuma turned in a solid display, though it ultimately could not prevent Amakhosi from exiting the competition.
Chiefs claimed a 1-0 victory in regulation time but were eliminated after losing 3-2 on penalties, crashing out of the annual CAF competition heartbreakingly.
The injury setback raises fresh questions about the goalkeeping department heading into a demanding stretch of fixtures. With Leaner, Petersen and Bvuma all fighting for the number one shirt, Da Cruz will face a complicated selection call once the squad returns to full fitness. Amakhosi still have the Carling Knockout Cup, the Nedbank Cup and the Premier Soccer League to navigate as the season intensifies.
Source: Briefly News
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