Mamelodi Sundowns starlet Siyabonga Mabena breaks Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana young superstar Relebohile Mofokeng’s record.
The youngster made his long-awaited return to competitive football this past Sunday at the Lucas Moripe Stadium during an MTN8 quarterfinal match against Richards Bay after missing more than six months of action due to an Anterior Cruciate Ligament(ACL) injury.
After being subbed on in the 73rd minute for Tashreeq Matthews, the South African junior international produced a cameo performance that left Sundowns faithful optimistic about this return.
He captured his dazzling display with a goal in the 76th minute, much to the delight of the Sundowns players and coaching staff that went to celebrate the goal with him.
His goal against Natal Richboyz see Mabena break Pirates starlet, Mofokeng’s record of the youngsters’ goalscorer in the competition.
Mofokeng’s record stood at 19 years, 10 months, and five days after he scored against Cape Town City FC in the first leg of the competition’s semi-final clashes on the 28th of August 2024.
Meanwhile, when Mabena scored against Richards Bay, he was 18 years, 5 months, and 16 days old.
Now, the Sundowns starlet holds two records in the tournament, as he is also the youngest player to feature in the tournament.
He was 16 years, five months, and 25 days old, back on the 12th of August 2023, when he was a late substitute against the now-defunct Moroka Swallows in a quarter-final clash.
The two are set to meet in the semis of this season’s competition, as Sundowns and Pirates were drawn against each other with the other semi-final clashes between Stellenbosch FC and Sekhukhune United.