Robert Marawa Erupts as Relebohile Mofokeng Scores on UEFA Europa League Debut

• Relebohile Mofokeng found the net just 17 minutes into his UEFA Europa League debut for Royale Union Saint-Gilloise
• Veteran broadcaster Robert Marawa led South African celebrations on X with a fiery post after the milestone goal
• Mzansi fans flooded the comments calling for Pitso Mosimane to build Bafana Bafana around the 21-year-old winger
• Briefly News spoke exclusively to a football analyst on Mofokeng's flying start to life in Belgium

South African football had another moment to savour when Relebohile Mofokeng stepped onto the European stage and made an immediate statement, sending broadcaster Robert Marawa into a frenzy online.

The 21-year-old winger broke the deadlock just 17 minutes into Royale Union Saint-Gilloise's UEFA Europa League clash against Viktoria Plzen, latching onto a ball over the top before composedly slotting past the goalkeeper. It was the kind of finish that made it look effortless, and Union SG never looked back from there.

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Rele Mofokeng marks his continental bow

Mateo Biondic doubled the advantage before the interval, and defender Ondrej Kricfalusi added a third in the 59th minute as USG secured a commanding 3-0 away win, their first away victory in the Europa League league phase. Mofokeng was substituted off in the 63rd minute, having already done more than enough to announce himself on the continental stage.

The timing could hardly have been better. Earlier that same day, Pitso Mosimane had named the youngster in his first Bafana Bafana squad since returning as head coach, making it a remarkable 24 hours for the young South African.

Since crossing over to Belgium from Orlando Pirates, Mofokeng had already scored three goals in five Belgian Pro League appearances before adding his first European strike to the collection.

Under his former coach Abdeslam Ouaddou at Pirates, he was deployed primarily on the flanks, and USG coach David Hubert has largely kept him in that role, though he has also given the youngster time in a number 10 position, a versatility that appears to have caught Mosimane's attention.

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Robert Marawa leads Mzansi's celebrations

Robert Marawa was among the first prominent South Africans to react, posting on X with "GOOOOAAAAAAAAAALL!!!" alongside fire emojis and South African flags. His post, which quote-tweeted Union Saint-Gilloise's official goal announcement, drew enormous engagement as South Africans rallied around another of their own making an impression in Europe.

See Robert Marawa's reaction in the post on X below.

The comments section beneath Marawa's post buzzed with pride. One fan speculated on what Mofokeng could achieve with a sustained run of starts mid-season.

Another drew a flattering comparison to veteran midfielder Andile Jali, pointing to the youngster's composure and impact. Several supporters urged Mosimane to build his Bafana Bafana attack around Mofokeng, with one declaring him the best number 10 in South Africa "by a mile." Others simply revelled in watching a local talent hold his own at European level.

Speaking exclusively to Briefly News, football analyst Brighton Ncube believes Mofokeng's immediate impact in Belgium shows that the move from Orlando Pirates was the right challenge at this stage of his career.

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“What stands out for me is how quickly Relebohile has adapted. Scoring 17 minutes into your first Europa League appearance is significant, but the bigger picture is that he is consistently finding ways to influence matches. He is not simply there to gain European experience. He is already contributing.”

Ncube believes Mofokeng's ability to operate in different attacking positions could make him particularly valuable to Mosimane.

“The positional flexibility is a major asset. We have seen him play from the wing, operate centrally and now adapt to the demands of European football. For a coach like Mosimane, that gives you tactical options because you are not restricted to using him in one position.”

The analyst also believes Mofokeng's move to Belgium could accelerate his development.

Mofokeng and Union SG are next in action on Sunday when they return to Belgian Pro League duty against Royal Antwerp.

Orlando Stadium confirmed for Mosimane’s Bafana return

Briefly News previously reported that SAFA had confirmed Orlando Stadium as the venue for Pitso Mosimane’s first competitive match back in charge of Bafana Bafana.

South Africa will host Guinea in their opening AFCON 2027 qualifier on 26 September 2026, with tickets already on sale ahead of the fixture. SAFA president Danny Jordaan encouraged supporters to attend.

Source: Briefly News