Chiefs will face Golden Arrows in the quarter-finals at FNB Stadium on Sunday, and the excitement surrounding the fixture has been heightened by the arrival of the former Stellenbosch FC winger, who has already impressed his teammates despite only recently joining the club.
Phili completed his move to Naturena earlier this week after a stellar campaign with Stellenbosch.
While many new arrivals need time to settle into the demanding environment at Chiefs, Petersen says the winger has looked at home from his very first training session.
Speaking during the MTN8 launch in Randburg on Wednesday, the Amakhosi skipper admitted he was pleasantly surprised by how naturally Phili integrated into the squad.
"I think for me to see a younger player like that just come in and settle, it's a good sign. You know, when players normally come to a team, especially the younger ones, it takes them a bit of a while before they settle," Petersen said.
"With him, I watched him and I was like, 'Okay, no, we're fine, we're good to go.'"
Petersen added that Phili's confidence stood out immediately, explaining that the winger never needed reassurance from senior players.
"Just the fact that when he stepped on the field, no one had to motivate or encourage him to say, 'Don't worry, you're going to settle in.' He stepped on the field and it's like he's always been there," he said.
Chiefs will be hoping Phili's confidence translates onto the pitch as they aim to make a strong statement in their first MTN8 appearance after missing the last two editions of the competition.
