Rele Mofokeng and Khoza’s R200k Bet on Pirates’ Title Race

Bafana Bafana attacking midfielder Relebohile MofokengScored a goal and set up another as Royal Union Saint-Gilloise came from two goals down to beat Cercle Brugge 5-2 in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League on Sunday. The win came at home and was an important one for Union SG, who were looking to bounce back after a 1-1 draw with Oud-Heverlee Leuven in their previous league match.

Mofokeng played the full 90 minutes and had a big hand in the comeback. The former Orlando Pirates player scored in the 80th minute with a well-placed header, his fourth league goal of the season. Deep in stoppage time, he also set up Union SG’s fifth goal, which sealed a convincing result after the team had trailed by two.

After the match, Mofokeng was asked how he managed to win a header despite being much smaller than many of the players he was up against. He said it comes down to attitude. “It’s just on your mind, if the desire is there and the mentality is there, you’ll always get the goal,” he told the Pro League. He added that he felt he gave his best but still has to do more for his team, especially when the ball is in the air and needs to be contested.

Off the pitch, Mofokeng has also been in the news back home because of a story told by his father, Sechaba, about a bet with Orlando Pirates chairman Irvin Khoza. According to Sechaba, the midfielder agreed to pay Khoza R200,000 if Pirates failed to win the league. If the club did win the title, Khoza would buy him a house of his choice. “So they made a bet, if they didn’t win the league, he Mofokeng would give the Chairman R200 000. He said, if I win the league, the Chairman would buy him any house of his choice… and now the house is there, he delivered,” Sechaba said. This account comes from Mofokeng’s father, and neither Mofokeng nor Khoza is quoted on it here.

The story adds another chapter to the career of a player who has grown from a promising young talent at Orlando Pirates into a South African international playing in Europe. His latest display will encourage Bafana Bafana supporters, who will be hoping he keeps scoring, creating chances and improving as he gains more experience abroad.

Mofokeng Reacts To Rare Aerial Goal In Belgium

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