There is nothing that unites us as South Africans and, more importantly, makes us walk tall as a proud nation more than a scintillating display from our sporting heroes and heroines, be it at home or abroad.
One of our sportsman who did us proud was Baroka FC goal minder Oscarine Masuluke. Although he returned empty-handed from the Fifa Puskas Awards in London recently, the mere fact that he was selected as a finalist for the coveted Goal of the Year award is reason enough for all of us to celebrate.
Masuluke was nominated for his spectacular bicycle kick goal in the dying minutes of an Absa Premiership match last season between his team and Orlando Pirates, earning his team a much-deserved 1–1 draw. Because of that crucial goal, his club was not automatically relegated but went into the playoffs and managed to keep their premiership status.
Without any doubt, the winning ‘scorpion kick’ from Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud was more spectacular but what made Masuluke’s goal more unique was the fact that it came, not from a regular striker, midfielder or defender, but from a player who mans the space between the two perpendicular posts and a crossbar, and more so, saved his team from relegation.
Astonishingly, Masuluke’s strike failed to muster enough votes at home to win the #PSLAwards 2017 best goal award.
South African football fans are very partisan by nature which tends to clouds their judgment and would most probably not vote for Masuluke’s goal because it was not executed by a player of the team they support.
The fact that the goal was against one of the most popular teams in the country, Pirates, surely did not help in garnering votes. Furthermore, the goal contributed to the Buccaneers woeful season who found themselves outside the Top Eight for the first time in the history of this cup competition.
Masuluke did not win here at home because the partisan supporters decided to vote for Siphiwe Tshabalala’s goal and it comes as no surprise that he plays for the best supported team in the land, Kaizer Chiefs.
I am certain that had Masuluke been playing for Chiefs or Pirates, his wonder strike would have possibly gone down as one of the best goals of the century in this country.
But Masuluke can take solace in that one of the world’s best footballers, Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid, backed him to win the award. Tottenham Spurs’ in-form striker Harry Kane also had his money on Masuluke.
He can also celebrate the fact that he put not only himself and his club on the international map but the country and its football fraternity as well.
What do you think of Oscarine Masuluke’s goal? Tweet @AlexNewsZA
