All eyes on Tsotso Ngele tonight

Coach Major David Bright and goalkeeper Kabelo Dambe are convinced that given enough game time and opportunity, Mogakolodi Tsotso Ngele could prove  to be the game changer in tonight’s encounter between Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs in the Telkom Knockout final.

Botswana’s lone ranger in South African premier league is expected to feature for his mega rich outfit Mamelodi Sundowns as they meet their feared rivals from Soweto at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.

Ngele rose to stardom under this cup when he scored twice in Mbombela after coming on as a substitute for Platinum Stars when they beat Orlando Pirates. After his two late goals scored in the 79th and 88 minutes, big clubs began jostling for his signature with Mamelodi Sundowns becoming his final destination.

In the last season he featured in the final for his former club against Supersport United but they lost 3-2. In that final he scored the second goal after coming in as a substitute. His form in the past competitions has always left many football fans asking for more.

In the recent semi-finals against Free State Stars he opened the scoring floodgates before making two assists in their 6-1 memorable victory. Pitso Mosimane will be looking to the highly technically-gifted Botswana’s bogeyman to replicate his yesteryear’s form that saw Platinum Stars lifting the coveted trophy and breaking the hearts of Pirates supporters.

Against Chiefs, Mosimane is facing his longtime friend whom he had previously employed as his assistant during his reign as Bafana Bafana coach. Steve Kompela is under pressure to win silverware for his glamour club which has broken its old culture of not believing in South African local coaches.

Kompela stumbled in the MTN 8 final when his club was white-washed by the youthful Ajax Cape Town side in September. Another loss would certainly reduce his days at Naturena. Despite Sundowns boasting equally talented stars, Ngele remains the most influential man and could prove to be the difference tonight.

He knows and understands the taste of success in this particular competition already at individual level. He won Telkom Player of the Tournament and a cool R200 000 price in the process. He was the second Motswana to win the coveted prize after Joel Mogorosi had won it with Bloemfontein Celtic after leading it to victory against the same Sundowns in the finals.

Ngele’s former teammate at Platinum Stars Kabelo Dambe who was present in both finals when they won in Mbombela and when they lost against Supersport United, feels that if Ngele could be given enough game time he will punish Kaizer Chiefs. Dambe is now with Township Rollers. “He is a talented player. If given enough playing time against Chiefs he will score. He must not be brought in when the game is already dead. He needs time to read the game and know where to exploit the situation,” he said.

Major David Bright, currently coaching first division outfit Thanda Royal Zulu in South Africa, also shares the sentiments. “It will depend on how Pitso wants to use him. He is very skillful he will score goals if he can play him alongside Hlompho Kekana and Bongani Zungu who will mark and protect him so that he plays behind false No.9,” Bright told Sun Sports from his home base in Richards Bay, Kwazulu Natal.

Tsotso, Botswana’s brightest star, is expected to keep supporters on the edge of their seats with his vast skills. A lot will be itching for a tussle between Tsotso and the stubborn Chiefs defence manned by the towering Eric Mothoho and Ivan Bukenya. Ngele was quoted in South African media saying Chiefs should be very worried because “We want to win titles.”

Should Ngele score and help his team win this cup it will set a new record for his coach who will be the first coach in ABSA premiership to have won all the cups in his coaching history during PSL era while his opponent Kompela will be aiming to win his first-ever cup as a coach.