Relebohile Mofokeng Marks Bafana Bafana Call-Up With Goal in European Competition
- Relebohile Mofokeng netted his first Europa League goal for Royale Union Saint-Gilloise on Thursday as the Belgian club opened their campaign
- The 21-year-old's European milestone came on the same day Pitso Mosimane named him in his first Bafana Bafana squad since returning as head coach
- Mosimane spoke openly about Mofokeng's versatility and the role he expects the youngster to play in his national team plans
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Relebohile Mofokeng capped a significant day in his young career by scoring for Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in their Europa League opener against Viktoria Plzen on Thursday, hours after being named in Pitso Mosimane's first Bafana Bafana squad since the coach's return to the national setup.
The 21-year-old winger, who joined the Belgian club following his departure from Orlando Pirates, has settled quickly into European football. He has scored three goals in five league appearances for USG, and Thursday's strike against Plzen added a continental goal to that tally as the club got their European campaign off to a winning start.
Mosimane Backs Mofokeng for Central Role
Mosimane's return as Bafana head coach was confirmed earlier in the day, and his first squad selection included Mofokeng, a move the coach elaborated on with considerable enthusiasm.
The former Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly boss highlighted Mofokeng's adaptability as a key reason for his inclusion, pointing to the player's recent performances in World Cup qualifying as evidence of his quality in multiple systems.
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"I don't know if the coach did not believe in him. I have to go with what is right," Mosimane stated.
"I saw the boy playing very well in his last two games in the World Cup — he did well, he dribbled, he played in the different role of the 3-4-3 and he has been used as a 10 on the right in the formation of the 3-4-3, which he has never played in, and adjusting to that formation, scoring goals."
**From Winger to Number 10**
Under Jose Riveiro at Orlando Pirates, Mofokeng operated primarily on either flank. That approach continued under Abdeslam Ouaddou at USG initially, though Ouaddou has also deployed him in the number 10 position. Hugo Broos similarly shifted Mofokeng into a more central role during his time with Bafana, maintaining that the player was more than a conventional winger.
Mosimane appears to share that view, placing particular value on the youngster's capacity to function across different tactical setups rather than being confined to one position.
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Source: Briefly News
