SD Mabaya’s young striker is the real deal

The talented SD Mabaya FC star, Naki Ngwenya, always found himself in the right scoring positions during the club’s local league matches.

SD Mabaya’s senior coach, Thulani Njomane, has praised this talented striker and described him as one of the best finishers in the local league in Bushbuckridge. The 22-year-old striker left a big impression on Njomane after his performance in the club’s four matches in which he featured during the Ximhungwe County League.

Ngwenya scored five goals in the past four league games he has played for the club. He scored a brace during the club’s 2-2 stalemate against Shepard United on October 28.

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‘Abafana Bok’thula Nothando’, as Mabaya is also known, has been a difficult team to beat this season. Despite losing 2-0 against the reigning league champions, Sun Lovers, last Saturday, November 11, it has proven to be difficult for local clubs to beat this ambitious soccer team.

The Kildare-based giants fell agonisingly short of beating their local rivals, Eleven Experience, after a 1-1 draw, and Ngwenya was the goal scorer at the beginning of November. A couple of wasted chances during the last minutes of the game saw Mabaya settling for a draw in the fiercely contested game.

Nevertheless, Njomane was impressed by his team’s exploits and was waxing lyrical about Ngwenya, who grabbed this rare chance to assist the club with both hands. “When we met at our first match against Nghunghunyana FC late in October, Naki wanted to play as a midfielder. We tried him in that position, but when we saw something special in him, we had to convince him to play as a striker,” said Njomane.

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Njomane said Ngwenya has always been in the right position at the right time during the matches. And scoring those goals in the local league, for a seasoned campaigner like him, is something big. It’s also a motivation and confidence booster, not only to him, but also to the youngest on the team.

“He’s one of the best finishers in the league and we’re certain that if he doesn’t slow down, he will end the season as one of top goal scorers. I’m happy that he is one of the players the club can trust to deliver positively in every match. All in all, we are very impressed by him, and that’s why whenever he is available, he’s regularly in the starting team. So far, he is our reliable striker. Although he has not been with us in some matches due to commitments towards the end of the year exams, he is always with the team whenever he finds time. And he is delivering.”

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Meanwhile, Ngwenya said his wish is to assist SD Mabaya finish in the top four this season. “I like this team. From day one, I have felt at home and I am free here. That’s why I did not join any other football club during the preseason. I kept in touch with the chairman, Sipho Dzimba, during off-season, and he was honest to me that this club is here to stay. Therefore, for me it’s a massive honour to play for this club, and that comes with great responsibility, because SD Mabaya has a rich history to uphold. We’ve got Dzimba, who is a caring man, the technical team with Coach Thulani and the rest of the players who are determined and courageous,” said Ngwenya.

His dream is to share the pitch with his favourite world superstar, Marcus Rashford. And he advised youngsters to always learn from the best players and to push themselves to their top level.