TAU, MOTHIBA BAFANA’S KILLER COMBINATION
THE POSITIVITY around Bafana Bafana is not because of the record win over Seychelles nor is it based on the improved performance and attitude of the team. The expectation, and anticipation, ahead of the return leg of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers at the Stade Linite in Seychelles today is centred on the intoxicating strike partnership of Percy Tau and Lebo Mothiba.
The enthusiasm the two young footballers have engendered, and the understanding they’ve built up in a short space of time, augurs really well for Bafana’s future. Both were brilliant in the win over Seychelles at the weekend and both got on the scoresheet – but, more importantly, their overall contribution to the team’s performance was eye-catching.
As such, there is a genuine mood of optimism and a palpable sense of excitement as Bafana prepare to tackle Seychelles for the second time in the space of four days. The SA national football team hammered the Indian Ocean Islanders 6-0 at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg at the weekend – and, while they may find the opposition a bit more competitive at home, another comfortable victory should be on the cards.
Tau’s transfer to Europe has certainly been of great benefit. He looks a more confident footballer, a player who thrives on the responsibility of being the team’s go-to man in attack. After a rocketing to prominence at Mamelodi Sundowns, Tau sealed a multi-million-rand move to Brighton & Hove Albion in England earlier this year. Because of work permit issues, he was loaned to Belgian Second Division club Royal Union Saint-Gilloise – and the dynamic forward has inspired his new team to great heights. Saint-Gilloise currently top the log in their division and, in a cup game last month, Tau was in superb form as his lower tier side upset Belgian First Division giants Anderlecht 3-0.
The 24-year-old was also in sprightly form for Bafana on Saturday. He may have missed a chance or two, but that won’t concern head coach Stuart Baxter too much: the fact that the player is getting into scoring positions is far more important. Tau was a bubbly presence throughout the match against Seychelles. He has great touch, which allows him time on the ball, while his ability to get in behind packed defences is a great asset for Bafana. He dovetailed brilliantly with Mothiba, as demonstrated when Tau netted late on in the match. Mothiba, as the hold-up striker, took a pass from midfield and intelligently skewed a wall-pass into the path of Tau, and the former Sundowns forward’s finish was unerring and clinical.
Mothiba is new to the Bafana set-up. Just 22 years old, he is rapidly making a name for himself in France, where he plays for Strasbourg. Baxter is a big fan of the player, who is an old-fashioned, English style target man forward. He has the physique to battle it out with defenders, the awareness and game suss to find space, and, importantly, an uncanny eye for goal.
With Mothiba as the focal point of the attack, he takes a lot of pressure off Tau, who likes to ghost into areas defenders hate to police. As such, with time, as this partnership develops, expect Tau’s game to blossom even more.
While the country may have lost some of its passion for Bafana in recent times, the Tau-Mothiba partnership is something worth enthusing over. It’s Seychelles again today – and, if the duo continues where they left off on Saturday, the opposition could be in for another tough afternoon. BIDVEST Wits’ attacker Bantu Mzwakali admits that he’s still haunted by Ajax Cape Town’s refusal to release him to the country’s big three clubs – Mamelodi Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates – during the peak of his career, as that could have avoided the frustration that he’s endured in the past nine months.
Following his professional debut in the 2013/2014 season for Ajax, Mzwakali became a household name in top-flight football for three consecutive seasons with the Urban Warriors, thanks to his trickery and quick feet down the flanks in more than a 100 senior appearances for the team.
As expected, within that period Pirates, Sundowns and Chiefs came knocking at the Urban Warriors’ door to inquire about the winger’s availability, but only for the management to turn those offers down.
With a deal to join either of the three giants falling through, Chippa United capitalised on the opportunity and secured the services of their “long-time admirer”, during last season’s January-transfer window, in a deal that saw Samuel Julies joining Ikamva. Before Chippa relocated to Port Elizabeth five seasons ago, they were based in Philippi in Cape Town, just 11 kilometres away from Mzwakali’s home town of Gugulethu.
Hence,upon his unveiling at the Chilli Boys, Mzwakali expressed delight at joining the club.
“It was always my ambition growing up in Cape Town to don the blue and white of Chippa United”.
But that sentiment lasted just four months, with just five appearances, due to the club’s bizarre culture of firing coaches.
“I thought things would be okay for me at Chippa because I was working hard, but the numerous changes of coaches caused confusion,” Mzwakali explained.
“I then had an agreement with the boss (Siviwe Mpengesi) that if a team comes and asks for my services, he’ll give me his blessing to go and try my luck – and that’s when Wits came along.”