Former Bafana Bafana striker Katlego Mphela has been left impressed by Orlando Pirates winger Relebohile Mofokeng and Mamelodi Sundowns attacker Lucas Ribeiro.
Mofokeng, though enduring a dip in form, started the season how he finished the previous one, on fire while Ribeiro is the top goalscorer in the Betway Premiership this season.
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Mphela told iDiski Times writer Lethabo Kganyago in edition 195 of the newspaper that he still rates the youngster though there could be a couple of factors contributing to his current state and the pressure of having to always step up.
“If we were talking two months back, I would have said Mofokeng from Pirates,” Mphela told iDiski Times.
“You know, for such a young age, he’s brave. He’s doing all sorts of things. He was scoring goals when we started, and that’s what he needs in this game, especially in the position he’s playing. We know he’s got other qualities, but now the performance dropped a bit. I don’t know if it’s a problem of fatigue. They are playing many games, or pressure is getting to him because they rely on him.
‘Killer’ also noted the Sundowns duo of Ribeiro and Iqraam Rayners who are the currently first and second on the top goal scorers list saying they have impressed him adding that the Brazilian is in a league of his own and he is not even surprised that South Africans are flirting with the idea of him playing for the national team.
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“There’s Rayners who just joined Sundowns,” added the 40-year-old.
“When you’re in that position, when you join a big team like Sundowns and you get all these big stars, you have to come and pull yourself, and they just fit in like a glove. Now he’s scoring goals, and it’s his first season. It’s rare, especially at Sundowns to achieve that.
“And so far, I can say the crème de la crème will be Ribeiro. He’s doing things, he makes football look easy. He’s playing like he doesn’t even have to be playing in the PSL. The way he’s playing is like it’s too easy for him. You saw the penalty he scored, the confidence, the quality. That’s why some of the people are coming out and saying, ‘oh, let’s call him up for Bafana Bafana’.
“So, if the league finishes today, I think he’ll end up collecting the Player of the Season award, but let’s wait and see.”
