Former AmaZulu FC striker Mpho Maleka has shared golden advice with red-hot Usuthu frontman Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya on how to sustain his blistering start to the Betway Premiership season.
The 23-year-old Zimbabwean international has taken the Betway Premiership by surprise since arriving at the KwaZulu-Natal outfit on a free transfer in July 2025.
Ngwenya has already found the back of the net 11 times in 12 appearances across all competitions for AmaZulu. His clinical displays earned him the Betway Premiership Player of the Month award for August after bagging five goals in four matches during that period.
Currently sitting at the summit of the league’s goalscoring charts with nine strikes, Ngwenya’s goals have been instrumental in propelling Usuthu to third place on the log with 22 points after nine outings.
MPHO MALEKA OFFERS BLUEPRINT FOR THANDOLWENKOSI NGWENYA TO STAY IN TOP FORM
Maleka stressed that avoiding complacency and putting in extra hours on the training ground are the keys to longevity for any lethal goalscorer.
“You know, as a former striker myself, there’s only one thing that you can do: remain grounded, humble, and keep working,” said Maleka in an exclusive interview with FARPost.
“I remember my secret: as a striker, you should always remain behind after training, or you should come early to sharpen your finishing skills. It takes only one moment or one ball to score in a match. So, if you don’t practice or repeat what is bound to happen normally in a game, you’re not going to get it right.
“The same goes for Junior Dion. I coached him at Marumo Gallants, and now he’s scoring in almost every game. Ngwenya is doing his best, so for him to maintain that performance, he must always remain in the kitchen. You cannot cook once and say, ‘No, I have cooked for next week.’ You cook every day. This means you need to practice, remain humble, grounded, and work on your finishing because it’s your job.”
Maleka further urged the Zim forward to conserve his energy and maintain his discipline inside the danger area rather than drifting too far from goal.
“A striker cannot go five or seven games without a goal. A striker is known to finish, and three games is enough; two games is okay if you don’t score,” Maleka added.
“He must always focus in the box, not run around. Stay where you need to be in the box; that’s where it matters the most. How many times you touch the ball doesn’t matter, but how many times you score goals does, and it only takes one moment to score a goal.”
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