Bafana Bafana all-time record goalscorer and current Manchester United striker’s coach, Benni McCarthy has dished out high praise for Yusuf Maart and his wonder goal in the Soweto Derby this season.
McCarthy, along with Steven Pienaar, are the new judges for the Goal of the Month award after the league and its sponsors went away with the public votings.
On Wednesday, the league announced the Goal of the Month winners for August, September/October, December/January and February/March, with Maart bagging the September/October award for his wonder goal from his own half in the Soweto Derby.
McCarthy, who himself featured several times in the derby for Orlando Pirates, insisted Maart showed incredible quality and technique, saying it should be a serious contender for Goal of the Season.
“My selection for Goal of the Month for September and October has to be Yusuf Maart versus Orlando Pirates in a derby. It is an incredible goal,” he said via a video message.
“And just the ability that he has, the mindset that he has, he saw the goalkeeper off the line and from inside his own half he decided to take a shot and try and beat the keeper from there – you don’t see these kinds of things happening in South African football.
“So for a player to have that mentality and that audacity to try and beat a goalkeeper from that range gets my respect and it definitely will go down as one of the best all-time goals in the Soweto Derby in my opinion, because yeah I have played in a couple and never come close to scoring a goal like that.
“Yusuf Maart has done that, so for me that has to go down as Goal of the Month and maybe even Goal of the Season contender because David Beckham many, many years [ago] has done it in the Premier League, Wayne Rooney has done it and these guys were all voted Players up the Month in their countries and contender Goal of the Season.
“So I don’t see the reason why Yusuf Maart shouldn’t win this category [Goal of the Month], and then be in contender for Goal of the Season.”
Meanwhile, Phillip Ndlondlo won the Goal of the Month award for August, Themba Zwane won the gong for December/January and Lantshene Phalane won the accolade for February/March.