Bongi Hlongwane, who was a surprise omission from Bafana Bafana’s AFCON squad, looks to have put that disappointment behind him.
The Minnesota United forward, who has scored 4 goals in his 19 caps for Bafana, will soon be heading back to the USA to prepare for the new campaign.
The former Maritzburg United player scored 17 goals in all competitions for Minnesota last seaosn, but was still cut from Hugo Broos’ Bafana squad for the ongoing AFCON.
Hlongwane says that his excellent year in the MLS in 2023 came down to the work he put in off the field.
“It was all the hard work that I was putting in, in training and outside of training by myself,” Hlongwane was quoted as telling the Pioneer Press earlier this month.
“I think that helped me a lot to push, knowing in my first season, I didn’t do well. The second season, I had to show something.
“I was doing so much. From here, then to my place and just chill a bit. Then around 4pm, I go to the lake [Lakes Commons Park in Blaine] because there is a sand beach there.
“I work on it to keep myself fit and be confident most of the time, because if I know I’m fit, I’m not afraid of anything.”
Hlongwane was not willing to comment on his exclusion from Bafana’s squad, though the club’s interim coach Cameron Knowles added his opinion. Knowles has been interim since previous coach Adrian Heath was sacked last October.
“I wouldn’t want to speak for him, but I imagine there is great disappointment to not be involved in that tournament,” Knowles said.
Hlongwane had been a regular during the qualification rounds for the AFCON, but seems to now be focused on the new season in America.
“I just want to do more than I was doing last year; I want to be better than last season,” Hlongwane added.
“I’m going to try to work on some different things to up my game.
“Once I’m fit, I think everything is going to be easy for me to know what to do in the game.”
