TALKING POINTS | From blunders to social media stardom: PSL's weekend in Africa

This past weekend, the football stage was ablaze as three South African PSL clubs commenced their group-stage assignments in continental competitions.

The enthusiasm from the local football fraternity was palpable. Still, it was two players — Inacio Miguel and Mukoko Amale — who truly stole the limelight on social media: one for a shocking blunder, the other for his unexpected celebrity status.

Miguel’s sorry air-shot

Kaizer Chiefs defender Inacio Miguel made a schoolboy error, akin to what golfers call a ‘freshie’ — when a player completely misses the ball and hits nothing but air. With the scores tied at 1–1 against Al Masry at the Suez Stadium in Egypt on Sunday evening, Miguel miskicked his clearance. He took his eyes off the ball as it bounced tantalisingly in the Chiefs’ penalty box, miscued, and the Egyptians pounced to score the winner three minutes from the end.

From dark arts to praise singing

DRC’s FC Saint-Eloi Lupopo was a vastly transformed team against Sundowns at Loftus on Saturday. That might have been because of the absence of suspended coach Guy Bukasa and their defender Mukoko Amale, who had terrorised Pirates. Two weeks ago, at Orlando Stadium, Lupopo had clearly mastered the dark arts of football.

However, on Saturday, the Congolese were full of praise for their opponents, despite suffering defeat. Their assistant coach, Yassine Salmi, observed: ‘Sundowns play like a European club with Brazilian flair. They look like a European side.’

Lupopo’s director of communications, Daniel Ndongo, also voiced his admiration: ‘We are enjoying a warm welcome and optimal logistical conditions that meet the highest standards.’

Bukasa remained defiant as he left Loftus, hinting that there could be a reckoning in the future: ‘We’ll meet in Lubumbashi.’

From villain to hero

Despite serving a CAF suspension, Lupopo defender Mukoko stole the spotlight at Loftus on Saturday — even without kicking a ball. Two weeks ago, he was the scourge of Orlando because his gamesmanship had proved seriously disruptive in Pirates’ defeat. He narrowly avoided a red card when his teammate Chris Sumbu was mistakenly sent off instead.

Sporting a new hairstyle, Mukoko became a social media phenomenon when he arrived at Loftus on Saturday. Fans mobbed him to take pictures and get autographs. Later, Lupopo’s social media posts noted that stewards struggled to escort their ‘Super Star’ through the crowd.

Stellenbosch enigma

It’s hard to fathom Stellenbosch, but they surprised friend and foe alike by defeating Congolese visitors AS Otohô on Sunday. This team, placed 15th on a 16-team log, had won only twice in 12 league outings. Yet they beat the Tanzanian visitors at a Polokwane venue, 1 700 km from their Winelands base.

When venues in Cape Town are unavailable, Stellenbosch usually opts for Durban, where their hotel sponsor makes them feel at home. Being in Polokwane, they are 360 km from their next destination, Rustenburg, the venue for Wednesday’s Premiership match against Orbit College. After this match, there is still no chance of going home, as they will be flying to Zanzibar for Sunday’s Confederation Cup match.

Moloisane proof of Stellies’ scouting ability

Defender Thabo Moloisane made his 100th appearance for the club during Sunday’s 1–0 win against AS Otohô in Polokwane. The Bafana Bafana player joined Stellenbosch at the start of the 2023/24 season and has become an important figure under Steve Barker.

At the time, Moloisane was playing for Maritzburg when they got relegated. Barker said he is the only player to reach 100 appearances who started in every game: ‘Other players reached 100 but came on as substitutes.’

Great talent scouting by Stellenbosch!