Hlompho Kekana of Mamelodi Sundowns celebrates victory after the Absa Premiership 2019/20 match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Black Leopards at Dobsonville Stadium, Johannesburg, on 05 September 2020 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
He was just a 20-year-old when he won his first league title and now at 35, he has gone on to lead Sundowns to three titles in a row, the latest sealed on Saturday when Downs beat Black Leopards 3-0 and Kaizer Chiefs could only draw with Baroka FC, meaning Sundowns leapfrogged them to claim a fifth Absa Premiership title in seven seasons.
READ: Hat-trick hero Maboe praises Sundowns mentality after title triumph
“More than anything we are just happy that we won the trophy for the 10th time for Sundowns and for me it is for the seventh time. It is a moment I should be proud of in my journey, I still remember the first medal that I won as a 20-year-old and look at me now I am on seven medals,” Kekana told SuperSport TV.
“It will keep me going, I have a team that is really supporting me at my age and always trying to push me to be on the field. I am happy for the young ones, Sphelele Mkhulise, Promise Mkhuma, Keletso Makgalwa. They have come into a team like Sundowns where we demand more and they try to match the standard of the guys.”
Kekana was particularly excited at the prospect of the club adding a star at the bottom of the crest in recognition of winning 10 league titles in the Premier Soccer League era.
“We have so many trophies under my belt and in my career I have so many beautiful memories and this is one of the trophies I will cherish for the rest of my life. It has not been easy because at some point we were behind by 13 points. They played well and they were scoring none-stop and we were trying to fight back and win our trophy back and now we will add a star somewhere. We will be remembered as the generation that changed the badge,” said Kekana.
“It is something that we should be proud of as players, for a job well-done, it has never been an easy season for us considering the long break. It has been difficult for footballers in this pandemic to come back from that break without pre-season and go back into it. It looks easy for someone who is sitting at home but it has not been easy when you are in the bubble. There is not much activity to do, you just have to eat in your lonely room,” he added.
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.
