Africa-Press – Rwanda. Rwanda head coach Adel Amrouche insists Kaizer Chief coach Nasreddine Nabi should start Fiacre Ntwari between the posts ahead of Brandon Petersen after his recent goalkeeping heroics on international duty with Amavubi.
Ntwari, 25, was in good form for Rwanda during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in matches against Nigeria away in Uyo where he made seven saves and conceded one goal before keeping a clean sheet against Zimbabwe.
The Rwandan international is the second-choice goalkeeper at Amakhosi, but his national team coach believes he can easily become the number one custodian who can even bench Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams at Mamelodi Sundowns if he is given a chance.
“The coach of Kaizer Chiefs [Nasreddine Nabi] is my friend, so he has helped me and now I understand him and the pressure at Kaizer Chiefs,” Amrouche told media after Rwanda’s win over Zimbabwe.
“He is doing his job, you know, and I’m doing my job. We are working with him [Ntwari] mentally, but he must find time to play because he is a very good player. He must be given a chance. You see, I gave him game-time, and he conceded a goal [against Nigeria] and I left him [to continue].
“A goalkeeper’s job is 95% mental than other things and you saw that today [against Zimbabwe] and again against Nigeria. I have confidence in the coach of Kaizer Chiefs and the goalkeeper coach [Ilyes Mzoughi],” added the Algerian/Belgian.
“Nabi started as a new man with the team and needed that process to build confidence between supporters and the team which is not easy at a big team like Chiefs.”
The Belgian-Algerian coach believes that Ntwari proved doubters wrong with his performance against Zimbabwe in Johannesburg, especially when he pulled off a stunning save to deny Zimbabwe an equalizer at the stroke of fulltime.
“Chiefs are a big team, and it takes time, but I hope that he has now proved to all the people that he can be number one. Maybe if not Kaizer Chiefs, maybe [Mamelodi] Sundowns or another team he can be number one and must believe,” Amrouche continued.
Fiacre Ntwari
Dropping Petersen for Ntwari looks tricky for Nabi at the moment, given Chiefs’ current form.
Petersen has been in top form for Amakhosi, keeping five clean sheets in the five Premier Soccer League matches the Soweto giants have played.
However, Nabi could have confidence that he has enough cover in Ntwari should Petersen get injured or be suspended.
Chiefs will resume their PSL responsibilities by hosting Sekhukhune United next Tuesday.
Petersen is expected to continue guarding goal with Ntwari on the bench as back up.
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