Zakhele Lepasa’s soccer career has been a rocky one from being loaned to various teams and sustaining injuries. This season he rediscovered his form with 10 Goals in 9 games it is not a surprise as to why he is a huge talking point in local football, writes Vuyolwethu Dyasi.
Lepasa started his journey with Orlando Pirates but joined Stellenbosch FC on a season-long loan in August 2018.
After four league games for Stellenbosch, he was loaned out to TS Galaxy in February 2019.
He scored 9 goals in 15 matches for TS Galaxy in all competitions, including the game-winning penalty kick in the 90th minute during the 2019 Nedbank Cup Final against Kaizer Chiefs, which made TS Galaxy the first team from outside South Africa’s top flight to win the Nedbank cup.
He was named the ‘Player of the Tournament’ and the competition’s top goal scorer after scoring four goals in four matches in the Nedbank Cup. In September 2019, he made his comeback for Orlando Pirates against Chippa United, when a brace from Tshegofatso Mabasa sealed a victory for the Buccaneers.
His long-term ankle fracture injury that happened in December 2020 saw him being sidelined for over a year, and he missed the opportunity to partake in the Olympic Games with the South Africa’s under-23 in Japan. Lepasa joined SuperSport United during the 2023 January transfer window on a short loan spell till the end of the 2022/23 PSL season and his move came in as a shock, his reason he asked for a loan was that he needed to play regularly to regain his confidence.
National team career:
He made his debut for Bafana Bafana in the 2019 COSAFA Cup against Botswana he scored in the penalty shootout unfortunately South Africa lost, he added his international goals during the 2023 AFCON qualifier game against Morocco as Bafana won 2-1.
He has been called up in the 23-man squad for the international friendlies and if he remains consistent he will surely make his way to the AFCON in Ivory Coast next year.
2023/24 Season:
The 26-year-old kickstarted the 2023/24 season on a high note with 10 goals in 8 matches in all competitions.
Despite being so early in the season he has scored in 3 different tournaments and that is contributing positively to Orlando Pirates as they see themselves in 3rd position on the log table after playing 4 games thus far they won 2, drew 1 and lost 1 game, an opener of the season away from home against Stellenbosch FC.
His goal-scoring capabilities has him scoring in the CAF Champions League as the buccaneers kicked off their Champions League campaign against Djabal FC a team from Comoros and Lepasa scored in the first leg, a brace in the second leg.
Lepasa has scored 4 goals in the MTN8 including a hat-trick during the MTN8 Semi Finals against Sekhukhune United and once the tournament wraps up he will undoubtedly be named the player of the tournament.
Photo by Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix
