Who’s Hot
Once again, Lorch found the net, positioning himself perfectly to convert a loose ball in the box for Wydad Casablanca in their 2-1 victory over Olympic Safi. This marked his fifth goal of the season as his overall performance remains impressive, helping Wydad lead the competitive Botola league. Despite playing in a position with limited options, he still has not been recalled to Bafana Bafana.
Ouaddou sprinting down the sideline to celebrate with Tshepang Moremi after Moremi’s winning goal in the Carling Knockout semi-final against Richards Bay highlighted the pressure the Moroccan coach faced at Orlando Pirates. The club’s exit from the CAF Champions League at the hands of St Eloi Lupopo was a severe blow, placing the coach under scrutiny despite earlier successes like winning the MTN8 this season, maintaining a strong league position, and reaching a second cup final in 2025/26. The Champions League was a key target after last season’s semi-final run, making the early elimination a major disappointment.
Gallants reached their first cup final since 2022 by defeating the in-form Lamontville Golden Arrows in the Carling Knockout semi-finals on Sunday through a penalty shoot-out. The season has been unpredictable so far, but under the guidance of 28-year-old coach Alexandre Lafitte, signs of determination are evident. They are now close to winning only their second trophy ever after securing the Nedbank Cup in 2022. Though heavy underdogs against Pirates in the final, surprises can happen…
The former Bafana Bafana left-back has emerged as a top strategist in Major League Soccer and was named MLS Coach of the Year, becoming the first South African to earn this honor. His Philadelphia Union team had the best regular season record and advanced to the Eastern Conference semi-finals, where they will host New York City FC in a single-elimination match after the international break.
South Africa progressed to the knockout rounds of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup despite a 3-1 defeat to Italy on Sunday. They finished with four points in their group, enough for second place, and now await their Round of 32 opponents. Their next adversary will depend on their final ranking among the 12 second-placed teams, which will be decided on Monday after the final group games.
In MLS, Hlongwane’s Minnesota United secured a tense penalty shoot-out victory over Seattle Sounders to win their three-game playoff series. The match ended 3-3 before Minnesota prevailed 7-6 on penalties, with Hlongwane scoring the ninth spot-kick for his team. Despite being low in the penalty order and not a preferred taker, he kept his composure to convert. The 25-year-old continues a strong season but still awaits a Bafana call-up.
The former Bafana Bafana and Manchester United midfielder quickly found a new role after departing his assistant coaching position at LaLiga club Real Oviedo. He joined his former head coach, Veljko Paunovićwith the Serbian national team. Paunović clearly values Fortune’s contributions and vice versa. Both were dismissed from Oviedo following a difficult start in LaLiga after promotion. Serbia is competing for a playoff spot to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, facing England (Thursday, away) and Latvia (Sunday, home). They currently trail Albania by one point, with Albania’s final two matches against Andorra and England.
Who’s Not
SAFA
The South African Football Association (SAFA) has decided no one will be held accountable for the embarrassing mistake that cost them three points in their FIFA World Cup qualifiers due to fielding an ineligible player. Although they still qualified by winning their group, this serious administrative error will go unpunished. SAFA often claims to pursue excellence, but this was far from it.
Despite being in good league form and having a home game against a weaker opponent offering a prime chance to reach their first cup final since 2009, Golden Arrows missed the opportunity in their Carling Knockout semi-final against Marumo Gallants. They lost on penalties after taking the lead in the match, a huge letdown for coach Manqoba Mngqithi. Opportunities like this rarely come for Golden Arrows.
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