By Michael Madyira
Tshegofatso Mabasa has turned up for Orlando Pirates at a critical stage of the football season as they ramp up their bid for a CAF Champions League spot.
The 27-year-old is in terrific scoring form and grabbed a hat-trick in last weekend’s Premier Soccer League game against Golden Arrows.
Interestingly, Mabasa seemed like a Pirates discard after spending last season on loan at Sekhukhune United, before starting the current term away on loan at Moroka Swallows, where he scored six league goals.
After returning to Pirates in January, he has scored four PSL goals as well as three in the Nedbank Cup.
Bucs coach Jose Riveiro said it was not a mistake to have loaned the player out last season.
“When I first set foot at a Pirates training session, we had eight strikers and Tshegofatso was not one of them,” he told the media.
“The reasons for that I cannot tell you, but they are probably related to his performances.
“I don’t know if he was in a different space or he was asking to go out on loan because he wanted to be constantly on the field, or maybe at that time it was difficult at Pirates, for whatever reason.”
Riveiro admits the return of Mabasa has made his job easier.
“He is back and performing at a very good level, and he is helping us to play better and to score goals,” the Spaniard said.
“Hopefully, he continues in the same space and the same shape, because it is nice to see a player of his talent performing at this level.”
Mabasa’s scoring exploits have seen him overshadow Zakhele Lepasa and Evidence Makgopa, who both started the season on a promising note.
Pirates are now just three games away from defending the Nedbank Cup and face AmaZulu in a quarter-final match on Saturday, with expectations of Mabasa high – who is raising his hand for a return to the Bafana Bafana squad.
Pictured above: Orlando Pirates ace Tshegofatso Mabasa skilfully controls the ball under the challenge of Golden Arrows defenders.
Image source: Orlando Pirates
