Katlego Mphela

Katlego Abel Mphela (born 29 November 1984) is a retired South African professional footballer.

Katlego Mphela
Personal information
Full name Katlego Abel Mphela[1]
Date of birth (1984-11-29) 29 November 1984
Place of birth Brits, Transvaal, South Africa
Height 1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
Early Birds
Arcadia Shepherds
Orlando Pirates
Jomo Cosmos
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2004 Jomo Cosmos 2 (1)
2004–2006 Strasbourg 19 (5)
2005–2006 → Stade Reims (loan) 5 (2)
2006–2008 Supersport United 62 (10)
2008–2014 Mamelodi Sundowns 116 (48)
2014–2015 Kaizer Chiefs 15 (3)
2015–2017 Royal Eagles 28 (9)
National team
2005–2007 South Africa U-23 7 (5)
2005–2013 South Africa 53 (23)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

His style of play includes challenging defenders with both pace and strength but he can still play deep as a supporting striker. He is nicknamed "Killer" for his finishing ability.[2]

Club career

Mphela, a product of Jomo Cosmos, played in France for RC Strasbourg and Stade Reims, both with limited success.

After returning home he turned out for Supersport United for the 2007-2008 season before joining Mamelodi Sundowns the following season. He then finished the 2009–10 season with 17 goals in 30 games which made him the league's top goalscorer. He won the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot and was voted PSL Players' Player of the Season.

Mphela joined Chiefs in 2014. He made his debut in a 2–2 draw against Maritzburg United.[3] He scored his first goal for Chiefs against Free State Stars but it was cancelled out almost immediately in a 1–1 draw.[4] Mphela scored on the last league match of the season in the 55th minute against AmaZulu in a 3–0 win.[5]

After two years out of action, 34-year old Mphela announced his retirement in August 2019.[6] He also announced, that he would begin as a coach and that he already was coaching youth players.

Statistics

Club
Club performance League
SeasonClubLeague AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
League
2003–04Jomo Cosmos21
2003–04RC Strasbourg20
2003–04RC Strasbourg B145
2004–05RC Strasbourg B103
2004–05RC Strasbourg120
2005–06Stade Reims50
2005–06Supersport United3010
2006–07RC Strasbourg B41
2006–07Supersport United136
2007–08Supersport United191
2008–09Mamelodi Sundowns 183
2009–10Mamelodi Sundowns3017
2010–11Mamelodi Sundowns 2213
2011–12Mamelodi Sundowns 2510
2012–13Mamelodi Sundowns 163
2013–14Mamelodi Sundowns 52
2013–14Kaizer Chiefs118
2014–15Kaizer Chiefs106
Career total 23889

International career

Mphela scored a brace on his international debut against Seychelles on 26 February 2005.

He has represented South Africa 53 times, scoring 23 goals. He scored South Africa's only goal in the 3–1 defeat against Tunisia in the 2008 African Nations Cup.

Perhaps Mphela's greatest moment came in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup third-place playoff against Spain. Coming in as a substitute Mphela produced arguably the goal of the tournament with a free kick from 30 yards, which turned out to be the last action of the 90 mins, sending the game into extra time.

Mphela was included in South Africa's 23-man final squad for the 2010 World Cup. He played in the inaugural match against Mexico, which ended 1–1. Next, the Bafana Bafana played against Uruguay, but they lost the game 3–0. In their final group game, he scored the 2nd goal in a 2–1 win against France as South Africa exited the competition.[7]

Mphela opened the scoring in South Africa's first international match following the 2010 World Cup putting South Africa up 1–0 against Ghana.

Mphela scored the winner for South Africa against Egypt in the 93rd minute with a perfect finish that saw the North Africans beaten by South Africa for the first time in competitive football between the two countries and increased the hopes of qualification.

Mphela also participated in the 2013 African Cup of Nations tournament.

International goals
Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first.[8]
NoDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.26 February 2005Stade George V, Curepipe, Mauritius Seychelles1–03–02005 COSAFA Cup
2.2–0
3.27 February 2005Stade George V, Curepipe, Mauritius Mauritius1–01–02005 COSAFA Cup
4.27 January 2008Tamale Stadium, Tamale, Ghana Tunisia1–31–32008 Africa Cup of Nations
5.28 June 2009Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg, South Africa Spain1–02–32009 FIFA Confederations Cup
6.2–2
7.12 August 2009Super Stadium, Pretoria, South Africa Serbia1–31–3Friendly
8.19 September 2009Griquas Park, Kimberley, South Africa Madagascar1–01–0Friendly
9.3 March 2010Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South Africa Namibia1–11–1Friendly
10.16 May 2010Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit, South Africa Thailand2–04–0Friendly
11.3–0
12.27 May 2010Soccer City, Johannesburg, South Africa Colombia2–12–1Friendly
13.31 May 2010Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane, South Africa Guatemala1–05–0Friendly
14.4–0
15.5 June 2010Atteridgeville Super Stadium, Atteridgeville, South Africa Denmark1–01–0Friendly
16.22 June 2010Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa France2–02–12010 FIFA World Cup
17.11 August 2010Soccer City, Johannesburg, South Africa Ghana1–01–0Friendly
18.4 September 2010Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit, South Africa Niger1–02–02012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
19.26 March 2011Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa Egypt1–01–02012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
20.10 August 2011Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa Burkina Faso1–03–0Friendly
21.3–0
22.12 November 2011Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa Ivory Coast1–11–1Friendly
23.3 June 2012Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg, South Africa Ethiopia1–11–12014 FIFA World Cup qualification

References
  1. "K.t Mphela". Soccerway. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  2. "Mphela's 'killer' instinct lifts South Africa". FIFA.com. FIFA. 26 March 2011. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
  3. www.realnet.co.uk. "'Killer' Mphela happy with Kaizer Chiefs debut". Kick Off. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  4. https://sg.sports.yahoo.com/news/kaizer-chiefs-1-1-free-state-stars-mphela-192200158.html
  5. http://www.football411.com/story/0,22162,14307_3149,00.html
  6. ‘Killer’ Mphela Makes Shock Announcement!, soccerladuma.co.za, 7 August 2019
  7. Bevan, Chris (22 June 2010). "France 1–2 South Africa". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 24 June 2010.
  8. "Mphela, Katlego". National Football Teams. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.