Bafana Bafana midfielder Njabulo Blom netted his first career goal as he fired St Louis City SC to a 2-1 win over Minnesota United.
The 72nd-minute strike secured a memorable comeback win for Bradley Carnell’s side after Teemu Pukki had put them ahead with a penalty just after the break.
Joao Klauss found the equaliser in the 64th minute before Blom’s stunner nine minutes later as he turned his marker to fire an unstoppable effort into the top corner of Dayne St. Clair’s net – his first-ever goal in 125 senior club appearances.
“He didn’t play the whole game on Wednesday, if he had played 90 it would have been thought to turn him back around and then probably Akil Watts would have been the natural replacement in the six [role],” Carnell said about fielding Blom in the last three games.
“So yeah as the game progresses and creates its own storyboard, then we have to manage the game according, but when Njabs is in the groove, he’s almost unplayable, he’s really silky and smooth, he defends forward. Alongside Eduard Löwen, they are obsessed with pressing the ball, they forward-defended in the second half.
“We had a little speech in the locker room and the boys shouted, Njabs, Njabs, Njabs, and it was like Njabs have you ever scored a goal before? And he was like nope! And to bring out one like that, a banger in the upper 90, I’m sure he will be a local hero in South Africa.”
With Blom being one of the signings of the season in Major League Soccer (MLS) Carnell has often been prompted on how they decided to rope him in from Kaizer Chiefs.
“When we were building this [team] and we looked at Eduard Löwen’s qualities, we needed someone to compliment what Edu does, he’s really dangerous in attacking moments,” Carnell explained about Blom’s signing.
“We need someone, who… when we turnover the ball, in a negative way when we lose the ball, for someone to be on the job, to condense space, willing to recover and do the dirty work, but he’s also show he can be a playmaker.
“So it gives us another wave of attack, another option in attack, it gives another dynamic to go left or right, so it makes us better, but we don’t praise on the individual, we always praise the team and we’ll continue to do that and hopefully make the fans happy with memories and wins.”
With three games remaining, City hold an eight-point lead over second-placed Los Angeles FC with qualification for the CONCACAF Champions Cup now in sight. At the same time, the Western Conference playoff spot has already been secured.
Bongokuhle Hlongwane featured the full 90 minutes and his United side has four games remaining – they have an uphill battle to make the playoffs.
With 37 points from 30 games, they are two points behind ninth-placed Katlego Ntsabeleng’s FC Dallas, who occupy the final spot – and have a game in hand.
Blom and Hlongwane were both named in Hugo Broos’ preliminary Bafana squad that will face eSwatini and Ivory Coast next month before the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations draw in Abidjan.
