A masterclass in what not to do as a goalkeeper: that is what Richards Bay’s Ian Otieno and Orlando Pirates’ (and Bafana Bafana’s number two) Sipho Chaine put on display as their teams drew 2-2 in a Betway Premiership encounter at the Umhlathuze Sports Complex on Friday night.
Perhaps it was the pressure of playing the league’s best and the need to deliver results that got to both goalkeepers; their performances were incredibly shaky—especially that of Sipho Chaine, who is a World Cup hopeful. Ahead of Friday’s outing, Chaine had not been beaten from long range since February 2025, yet he was defeated twice by the Natal Rich Boyz.
Goalkeeping Errors
Being beaten from outside the 18-yard box is a troubling sign, especially for Hugo Broos, who, in his recent Bafana camp, opted for Sekhukhune United’s Renaldo Leaner as a replacement for Chaine — despite the latter having played all of Pirates’ league matches this season.
In January, Chaine was in the AFCON squad but did not play a single minute, as he deputised for the reliable Ronwen Williams. Being left out of the Bafana squad recently when not injured should have rung alarm bells; however, Friday night’s performance suggested otherwise, even if it was a solitary poor showing in what has otherwise been a successful season for him and his team.
Richards Bay’s Performance
On the other side, 32-year-old Kenyan goalkeeper Otieno had a game he will want to forget, as he fumbled the ball numerous times in his own box. Otieno looked shaken, as if the pressure of playing against title-chasing Pirates had chewed him up and spat him out.
From the first half, the Kenyan keeper struggled to assert himself in his area and looked dicey, especially when clearing corners. He is by no means of small stature and could easily impose himself should he choose to.
Some of the key mistakes made by Otieno include:
- Poor catch rate from aerial balls
- Fumbling the ball numerous times
- Receiving a yellow card for time-wasting
A few mistakes can happen in a game, but if one were to scrutinise the errors that prevented Richards Bay from taking home three points, they were most likely the goalkeeper’s doing.
