- Scored his 36th goal to become the highest scoring Botswana international in SA
- Attributes hard work in training to his impressive form
TLOTLO KEBINAKGABO
Mogakolodi “Tsotso” Ngele is increasingly setting himself apart as one of Botswana’s best football exports to South Africa.
Seemingly with that goal in mind, the left-footed midfielder found the back of the net over the weekend when his side, Black Leopards, progressed to the last 16 of the Nedbank Cup by defeating North West University 4-0. “Tsotso” scored after just seven minutes into the contest and clinched the Man-of-the-Match accolade for his exploits in the encounter.
It was his second goal of the season in eight encounters that he has played for the Limpopo-based team. The lanky midfielder’s weekend goal was also his 36th in 132 matches that he has played in all competitions in South Africa, which makes him the record Motswana scorer in the ABSA premiership. The 29 year old footballer, also has 17 assists to his name in the more than six years that he has been in South Africa.
“Tsotso” has since told South Africa’s Far POST that he is recovering his form due to the hard work he puts in during training. “I even do extra sessions at the gym and I am happy that everything is now going well,” he said in a recent interview with the South African football publication. This is the player who joined “Lidoda Duvha,” as Leopards are otherwise known, at the beginning of the current season after enduring a tough spell at champions Mamelodi Sundowns where he spent much of the time on loan or completely ignored. His move to Leopards gave many hopes that he would finally rekindle his career but more disappointment seemed to follow him to Leopards.
In the first leg of the season with the team, “Tsotso” came in as a substitute twice and was three times on the bench under both Luc Eymael and Lionel Soccoia who respectively coached the team within a space of six months. “Tsotso’s” future with the team seemed to turn so bleak that many thought Eymael would release him in the January transfer window.
However, things turned around earlier this year when Cavin Johnson joined the Limpopo-based team as coach after Eymael was relieved of his duties in December 2019. Johnson’s arrival saw a revival for “Tsotso” who has appeared on all games that the club has played thus far this year. Now like the legendary phoenix that arises from its own ashes, he started three times and came in as substitute three times for the team that is currently under the tutelage of Alan Clark as interim coach.
However, rather sadly for mentor and protégé, Johnson suffered a heart attack on 31st January 2020. But on a decidedly positive note for both, Johnson is on the mend as Tsotso’s star stays on an upward trajectory.