The less said about the striker imports of Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates over the years, the better, argues Tiyani wa ka Mabasa.
Both clubs have now recruited foreign forwards, but are they adequate? Amakhosi will rely on Christian Saile Basomboli of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while Souaibou Marou, a member of Cameroon’s 2022 World Cup roster, will play for the Buccaneers.
The Sunday World reviews the last seven international strikers acquired by the Chiefs and Pirates, and it’s not a good read.
KAIZER CHIEFS:
Caleb-Bonfils Bimenyimana (Burundian):
Since his signing six months ago, Bimenyimana has scored seven goals in 10 games, with the majority coming from penalty kicks.
Lazalous Kambole (Zambian):
He joined the club in 2019 from ZESCO United and, to make a long tale short, scored two goals in 46 games. Poor.
Samir Nurkovic (Serbian):
In 78 games played between 2019 and 2022, he scored 21 goals.
Leonardo Castro (Colombian):
He participated in 123 matches across all competitions, scoring 29 goals.
Gustavo Paez (Venezuelan):
The South American scored only 10 goals in 53 outings prior to his departure in 2019.
Lewis Macha (Zambian):
In six official appearances, Macha failed to meet expectations, as he did not score.
Michelle Katsvairo (Zimbabwean):
In 2017, he had scored two goals in fourteen games.
ORLANDO PIRATES:
Bienvenu Eva Nga (Cameroonian):
He deceived by scoring in his debut against Swallows in August of last year. After eleven appearances, Bucs fans had had enough.
Kwame Peprah (Ghanaian):
He has been loaned to Maritzburg United, and if he never returns, he will have scored nine goals in 44 games for the Pirates.
Gabadinho Mhango (Malawian):
In the previous decade, he is the only Pirates player to have led the league in scoring. He scored 23 goals in 71 matches.
Justin Shonga (Zambian):
Sixteen goals in seventy-seven games is insufficient.
Tendai Ndoro (Zimbabwean):
He scored 23 goals in 60 appearances for the club, which by PSL standards is a respectable return.
Mwape Musonda (Zambian):
Few fans will recall his name. In fact, he only played in two games without scoring a goal.
Helder Pelembe (Mozambican):
Helder scored two goals for the Buccaneers in twenty games. Not so good.
PSL’s last ten leading scorers:
Peter Shalulile (Mamelodi Sundowns) scored 23 goals in 2021/22.
Bradley Grobler (SuperSport United) – 16 goals in 2020/21.
Peter Shalulile (Highlands Park) and Gabadinho Mhango (Orlando Pirates) each have 16 points in 2019/20.
Mwape Musonda (Black Leopards) – 16 in 2018/19
Percy Tau (Mamelodi Sundowns) and Rodney Ramagalela (Polokwane City) scored 11 goals in 2017/18.
Lebogang Manyama (Cape Town City) Got 13 points in 2016/17.
Collins Mbesuma (Mpumalanga Black Aces) Scored 14 goals in 2015/16.
2014/15: Moeketsi Sekola (Free State Stars) – 14
2013/14: Bernard Parker (Kaizer Chiefs) – 10
2012/13: Katlego Mashego (Moroka Swallows) – 13
»Chiefs’ and Pirates’ imports of strikers are abysmal«