Relebohile Mofokeng scored his first hat-trick as Orlando Pirates thrashed 10-man TS Galaxy 6-0 to move top of the PSL table.
A star midfield performer but infrequent scorer, the 21-year-old has developed a clinical edge lately and his treble lifted him to seven league goals this season.
He has been included in the South Africa squad for two 2026 World Cup warm-up matches against fellow qualifiers Panama this month, and is likely to make the squad for the global tournament.
“Scoring my first hat-trick is very special. I have been wanting to achieve this feat for some time. The goals will boost my confidence,” Mofokeng said after being named player of the match.
Off-form Galaxy began the match in northeastern city Mbombela having taken just one point from a possible 18 in six matches and suffered a huge early blow.
Just four minutes into the first half defender Lentswe Motaung was shown a straight red card for a professional foul on Tshepang Moremi.
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Mofokeng scored his first goal soon after, Moremi added a second and a Mlungisi Mbunjana own goal left Pirates three goals ahead by the break.
There was no let up from the visiting team in the second half. Mofokeng struck twice before former Galaxy midfielder Kamogelo Sebelebele completed the rout.
“It was a fantastic performance. We have sent a strong message that winning the league is our priority,” said Pirates’ Morocco-born coach Abdeslam Ouaddou.
In a two-club title race, Pirates have 51 points with eight matches remaining. Mamelodi Sundowns, seeking a ninth straight league title, have 50 with a game in hand.
Ouaddou, a former Premier League defender with Fulham, lauded Pirates’ supporters, who comprised most of the 25,000 crowd despite it being an away fixture.
“They are real supporters — they back us in good and bad times. Fans who boo their team when it is struggling are not real supporters in my opinion,” he said.
Sekhukhune United suffered a blow to hopes of finishing third and qualifying for the CAF Confederation Cup when losing 1-0 away to Golden Arrows in Durban.
– AFP
Photo: Dirk Kotze/Gallo Images
