Sharpshooter Bafana starlet Hlongwane makes his mark
Young gun Hongwane proves an ace on Broos’ sleeve
● Bongokuhle Hlongwane is on a simple yet difficult-to-sustain mission, to remain consistent in his game.
The Maritzburg United winger-cumstriker was the talk of the country this week after his goal gave Bafana Bafana their first competitive victory over Ghana since February 2000. That was six months before his parents Wiseman and Shelly were blessed with him.
“Awu! Ngempela (Oh, really),” the lanky Hlongwane reacted when he was told of this remarkable feat and piece of history around his goal which he sliced in in Bafana’s deserved 1-0 win over the Black Stars in a 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifier at the FNB Stadium on Monday. It took Bafana to the top of Group G on four points, ahead of back-to-back games against Ethiopia next month.
Hlongwane is quick, however, to remind himself that he still has a long way to go in his career and the only way he can remain in people’s hearts is if it continues to produce the kind of performance he dished out in Hugo Broos’s second match in charge of Bafana.
Indeed, SA has to thank the bravery of the new Bafana coach in keeping his promise by refreshing the national side with young and promising starlets like Hlongwane.
Broos has, in just two matches, done what most of his predecessors were scared to do.
The likes of Hlongwane (21), Evidence Makgopa (21), Nathan Brooks (19), Nkosingiphile Ngcobo (22), Sibusiso Mabiliso (22), Njabulo Blom (21), Tebogo Mokoena (24), Sipho Mbule (23), Gift Links (21) and Luther Singh (24) may have had to wait until they were well over 25 before they were considered. But Broos has demonstrated the future of the team lies in younger, agile and hungry players.
In a candid interview with the Sunday Times this week, Hlongwane spoke of his fear of disappointing if he doesn’t maintain the great start he’s had in his international career. The goal against Ghana was his second after he had scored on his debut in an international friendly against Uganda in June that Bafana won 3-2.
“I’m not entirely surprised at my quick progress in professional football because from the time I was very young growing up in Sweetwaters (Pietermaritzburg) the only thing I knew and was determined to do was play football.
“In the area I grew up there are not too many opportunities and at times I doubted if my talent will ever be picked up by professional clubs,” said Hlongwane.
“But everything changed in 2018 when my amateur team Nxamalala Fast XI played against Maritzburg United junior team that plays in the SAB League (SA’s fourth tier). After scoring and beating them in that game they didn’t waste time in signing me. I was to play in their MDC (Multichoice Diski Challenge), but I only played four games in that reserve team before I was promoted to the club’s senior team.”
Playing in attack was not where Hlongwane played in the junior ranks. He says he was only switched to the striker’s position when he was playing for Nxamalala Fast XI and from there he never looked back.
Hlongwane chuckles when he remembers his professional debut for Maritzburg. Former Maritzburg coach Eric Tinkler gave Hlongwane 78 minutes in a league game against Orlando Pirates at the Harry Gwala Stadium on April 4 2019, (towards the end of the 2018-19 season), a game the Team of Choice lost 1-0.
“I remember that I beat a defender with my first touch and I nearly created a goal,” he says with a big laugh.
But everyone took notice of Hlongwane when he netted twice (his first professional goals) in a 3-0 home victory against Stellenbosch FC in the second half of the 2019-20 season. His star was to shine even brighter in the last campaign where his wonderful partnership with Thabiso Kutumela, who has since joined Mamelodi Sundowns, saved the club from relegation.
“I was so disappointed when Kutumela and Judas (Moseamedi) left the team because I was still learning a lot from their experience as top strikers in the PSL.
“Now I feel a lot is expected from me, both at my club and at international level, hence my fear about maintaining the kind of form that I have right now.”
Hlongwane didn’t start in Bafana’s opening 0-0 World Cup qualifying tie against Zimbabwe in Harare last Friday. But his performance in that game, coming off the bench, convinced Broos to start him against Ghana.
“The coach told us to relax and play our normal game against Ghana and not fear them because of their reputation. He reminded us that this is our chance to justify why, as young as some of us are, he chose to bring us into the team.
“With us young players there’s a lot that
we want to prove. We’re hungry to make a name for ourselves and we appreciate having a coach who is showing a lot of trust in us.
“We must just keep rewarding him with victories.”
Hlongwane is well aware and pleased with the interest that his goal against Ghana has created for his services in both local and European clubs and may leave Pietermaritzburg as early as the next transfer window in January.
“Well, for now I’ll leave that (the transfer) to my club. For now I want to concentrate in helping the team have a better season than the one we had where we had to fight against relegation. We’ve not had a good start but it was expected after we lost some of our top players in Kutumela and Moseamedi.”
There’s a lot that we want to prove.
We’re hungry
Bongokuhle Hlongwane
Bafana player
This is the first story of a series shining the spotlight on Broos’s Bafana babes. More will be carried on the Sunday Times Daily digital platform.