WeeklySA_AdminHAT-TRICK HEROES: Thriving Bucs striker and the Real Madrid forward seem to have found their scoring boots as they continue to destroy opponents
By Ali Mphaki
One is 28, the other 26 years of age. The former is from a small town in South Africa’s Free State province called Botshabelo.He plies his trade for the Pirates of Orlando in Auckland Park, Johannesburg. The other born in Paris and raised in nearby Bondy, chases skin for one superclub in La Liga, Real Madrid of Spain.`
They may be playing in different countries, but one thing common is that both their duty is to find the back of the net – and boy they can do it with aplomb if given even a slight chance!
No wonder therefore the chamza of the week is both Orlando Pirates striker Tshegofatso Mabasa and Real Madrid’s French forward Kylian Mbappe, both scoring impressive hat-tricks for their respective clubs in their last outings.
At the weekend, Mabasa scored a hat-trick against a stubborn Baroka FC bundled 3-0 out of the Nedbank Cup at the Orlando stadium. It was Mabasa’s second hat-trick this season for his club after having done so in the league during the 8-1 demolition of Marumo Gallants earlier on in the season, but this one was executed in style after some good passes interchanges.
The third goal can only be termen sublime following a 34-pass interchange between Pirates players – largely attributed to the telepathy between the Bucs players and moving the Buccaneers to the last four in the competition. At Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday, Mbappe’s talent was on full display – his blistering pace, sharp movement and ruthless finishing proving too much for Manchester City to handle and sealing the holders’ place in the last 16.
The French striker’s goal in the 3-2 first-leg victory at Etihad Stadium may have come from a scuffed finish, but there was nothing fortunate about any of his three in the return at Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday that sealed a 6-3 aggregate success over the English champions.
Mabasa’s rise to prominence has been impressive. Known for his clinical finishing, sharp positioning, and the ability to find the back of the net, he has become one of the most feared strikers in the Premier Soccer League (PSL).
His evolution as a goal scorer for Orlando Pirates has only enhanced his reputation as a reliable threat in front of goal. For all his scoring abilities, Mabasa is said to be only 15 goals away from surpassing Benedict ‘Tso’ Vilakazi’s all-time goal-scoring record at Orlando Pirates of 58 goals.
Currently, Mabasa sits on 44 goals in 111 appearances for the Buccaneers. He scored 12 goals in 30 appearances during the 2023/2024 season, a slight dip from his incredible tally of 19 goals in 33 matches the previous season which saw him secure the PSL Golden Boot as the league’s top scorer with 16 goals. He needs only 14 goals to beat Vilakazi’s prestigious record. Mabasa’s journey with Orlando Pirates has been marked by steady improvement since he joined the club from Bloemfontein Celtic in 2019. Despite a brief stint on loan at Sekhukhune United and Moroka Swallows, Mabasa returned to the Buccaneers reinvigorated, quickly rediscovering his goal-scoring form.
It cannot be forgotten that not long ago, Mbappe had come under heavy scrutiny from Real fans and pundits after scoring just three times in 11 appearances for Carlo Ancelotti’s side. It followed the 26-year-old’s acrimonious exit from Paris St-Germain to join the Spanish giants on a free transfer last June when his contract ended. But he has now scored 27 goals in all competitions so far this season after a ‘slow start’ to life in Madrid. It’s safe to say he is no longer adapting, but thriving.
It followed the 26-year-old’s acrimonious exit from Paris St-Germain to join the Spanish giants on a free transfer last June when his contract ended.
But he has now scored 27 goals in all competitions so far this season after a ‘slow start’ to life in Madrid. It’s safe to say he is no longer adapting, but thriving. As for the Botshabelo-born Mabasa on reflecting on his career so far, he credits head coach Jose Riveiro for what he has done with them in the past few seasons. “Yes, there’s a saying I can’t remember if it’s from Pep, he had said that ‘To keep possession, you have to keep position.’ Each and everyone knows their role within the tea
m, how we want to play together as a team, how the coach instructs us to play, that was just true evidence of what we’ve been working on with the coach and what the coach has brought to this club and for us to score that way,” Mabasa said.
Mbappe was not as humble as Mabasa; The adaptation period for me has ended and now I have to show my quality. I want to play well here, I want to make a mark on the season.
“I want to write history with Real Madrid.”-additional reporting BBC Sport
