The scorer of a brace in the 5-0 win over Eritrea in 2027 AFCON qualifying, Relebohile Mofokeng becomes the second Bafana Bafana player to score more than once under head coach Pitso Mosimane, according to Live Soccer TV.
The scoreboard from the 5-0 win over Eritrea bears the signature of Relebohile Mofokeng, scorer of two goals. A rare brace, judging by the tally published by Live Soccer TV.
Because under Pitso Mosimane, Bafana Bafana have had 18 different scorers in 26 matches spread across three spells in charge of the national team, according to the outlet. Before Mofokeng, only one player had managed to score more than once in that period.
Mphela, the only other precedent
That precedent is Katlego Mphela, a former Bafana Bafana player. He remains the only other player to have scored more than once under Mosimane, with 7 goals during the coach’s second spell, again according to Live Soccer TV.
The breakdown of his goals puts the feat in perspective over time: against Ghana in 2010, Niger the same year, then Egypt in 2011, twice against Burkina Faso the same year, Ivory Coast in 2011 and Ethiopia in 2012. His goals were spread over three years, whereas Mofokeng scored his brace in a single match.
Behind those two players, Bernard Parker, Benson Mhlongo, Aaron Mokoena and Steven Pienaar scored only once each, according to the outlet’s tally.
Three matches, seven different scorers
Pitso Mosimane’s third spell has a more collective look. In three matches, the head coach has seen seven different players find the net, Live Soccer TV reports: Ime Okon and Samukele Kabini against Guinea, then Mofokeng, Sphephelo Sithole, Iqraam Rayners and Luther Singh against Eritrea, and finally Puso Dithejane against Egypt.
The attacking output has changed too: 8 goals in 3 matches since Mosimane’s return, compared with 17 in 23 matches during his previous spell, according to the same source.
Mofokeng’s brace fits into that upturn. With two goals, however, he remains far from Mphela’s 7: he is the second player to have scored more than once under Mosimane, alongside Mphela.
More qualifiers ahead
Bafana Bafana must now push on through the next matches of their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign.