Mamelodi Sundowns legend Hlompho Kekana has given his opinion on why Orlando Pirates‘ Makhehlene Makhaula deserves to be recognised as the PSL Player of the Season..
The defensive midfielder was key for Pirates as they mounted a serious title challenge against perennial champions Sundowns, who once again crossed the finish line in first place.
Apart from pushing Sundowns all the way in the league, the Sea Robbers won a third consecutive MTN8 earlier in the season, but fell short of a third straight Nedbank Cup when they were beaten by Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs in the final in Durban two weeks ago.
Speaking on Soccer Zone, Kekana, himself a defensive midfielder during his illustrious career, said he was impressed with how influential the 35-year-old Makhaula was during the campaign.
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“There was no Pirates without this player, and I’ll tell you why: he gave them stability in the midfield,” Kekana said on Soccer Zone.
“Those who played in the midfield at the highest level, they’ll tell you that without this man Pirates were nowhere because he gave them stability.
“You know, he was ready to do the dirty job for Orlando Pirates. There is no Relebohile Mofokeng without Makhaula.”
Despite a stellar season, Makhaula was not included in Hugo Broos’ preliminary Bafana Bafana squad on Thursday. With Broos insisting on selecting younger players for the national team, Makhaula’s age could have been the contributing factor in his omission.
Makhaula will likely be in action on Saturday when Pirates take on AmaZulu in their penultimate game of the season. Then on Wednesday, Ezikamagebhula will host Magesi FC in the season’s last game.
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