Mbekezeli Mbokazi’s thunderbolt of a goal against Siwelele in the Carling Knockout was a reminder of his all-round talent and just why Orlando Pirates will be hard-pressed to keep the young defender beyond this season.
The 20-year-old has been a rock at the back for The Buccaneers since making his senior team debut earlier this year, but proved he has goals in him too with a world-class strike in Pirates' 1-0 win that could well be the best we will see in the Premier Soccer League this season.
But more than the fantastic goal, Mbokazi also helped Pirates keep an eighth clean sheet in a row. They have conceded just four goals in 14 games in all competitions this season.
He is the next genuine star of the local game and a player who could break into one of Europe’s top five leagues if he is given the chance to move abroad.
He will be a starter for South Africa at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco later this year, where he will be able to showcase his talent to a wider audience.
The centre-back gave a hint of his attacking talent when he almost scored a superb chipped goal from 35-yards in Bafana Bafana’s 1-1 draw with Nigeria in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers last month, and national team coach Hugo Broos believes he has to move abroad to grow.
"If you see the quality and the talent of Mbokazi, I’m very sorry to Pirates, but this guy has to go away (to Europe) next year,” Broos told SABC.
"He will become better when he plays good competition and at a higher level. If he stays here, it will become too easy for him because he is that good.
"He needs another motivation, another challenge. That makes him become better.”
Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says he is not surprised by the goal as Mbokazi has always had that in his locker.
“He has a very, very strong shot, he shows it many times in training,” Ouaddou said. “He took the decision to shoot from 30, 40 yards and showed his quality, it’s a guy who believes in himself. You can’t shoot from there if you don’t trust and believe in yourself – or don’t believe in your qualities.
“It’s a goal that delivered for the team, gave happiness for all the players – and the fans as well.”
The goal, and all-round performance, of Mbokazi was so good that Oswin Appollis, who was voted Man of the Match against Siwelele by the fans and received R100,000 (USD 5,800), promised to give his teammate a cut.
“What a brilliant goal from Mbokazi. To be honest, I think he deserved (the award) more than me, because he was fighting and defending,” Appollis said. “I’ll definitely have to cut because what a goal.”