Bafana Bafana star Relebohile Mofokeng is doing everything right to cement his place at Royale Union Saint-Gilloise amid fierce competition for starting berths.
The attacker continued his impressive start for the Belgium side on Thursday night, scoring the opener as Royale Union Saint-Gilloise kicked off their UEFA Europa League campaign with a commanding 3-0 win away at Viktoria Plzen.
It was Mofokeng’s fourth goal since his big-money move from Orlando Pirates, but despite his hot form, nothing is guaranteed in David Hubert’s side. Speaking after the win in the Czech Republic, Hubert revealed the depth of quality at his disposal.
“We have more than 11 starters. I knew what we had in our hands and what the lads can bring. The squad was thin today [Thursday], but I knew what we were capable of,” Hubert told Belgian channel VTM.
“Then it remains to be seen if it clicks, with guys who suddenly have to play 90 minutes. But I have always been convinced that we could do this.”
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Mofokeng’s goal came after just 17 minutes, with Mateo Biondic and Ondลej Kriฤfaluลกi scoring the other two goals. Hubert was pleased with how his game plan was executed on the night at Doosan Arena in Plzeล.
“We started the match with a clear idea. Press high, and try to force errors from them. And try to annoy them by moving a lot in the spaces. That worked well. We could have scored even more before half-time,” he added.
Mofokeng has featured eight times across all competitions for Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, securing three starts alongside several impactful substitute appearances. While three of his goals have come in five Belgian Pro League matches, his strike in the Europa League represents a major European milestone.
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Meanwhile, Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane has heaped praise on Mofokeng’s versatility and ability to adapt to various tactical roles.
“I don’t know if the coach [Hugo Broos] did not believe in him. I have to go with what is right,” Mosimane told the media on Thursday.
“Remember, at Orlando Pirates we used to see him playing as a winger; suddenly he is a 10 in a 4-2-3-1 formation. So the boy shows us he can play in different formations and wherever he has been playing, he’s been scoring or assisting.”
Mosimane expects Mofokeng to be a vital cog when Bafana Bafana kick-start their upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations [AFCON] qualifiers against Guinea and Eritrea later this month.
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