Thembi Kgatlana has scored her first goal for Racing Louisville in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in the USA.
The Randfontein-born striker of the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana found the back of the net shortly after recess (46’) to give her American outfit a 2-0 advantage against Gotham on Sunday (18 June 2023).
She was named Player of the Match.
“I’m a striker, I’m hungry I just came back from an injury and prior to that goal I had chances but I think my willingness to keep on going and not giving up is the one thing that pushed me to the goal and I always want to expose the defenders and I knew as soon as Katie went out it is always difficult for a defender to track back and so I just use the chance because there was so much space to go behind,” Kgatlana told her club’s media team.
“It was a very good game today, very hot. We wanted to play this game, we are at home, third game in a row we are at home – we wanted to have a very strong, we knew that Gotham has a strong start, they always like to press, so I think it kept them thinking because we also play a different style of pressing so it was always them thinking are they going to press us or stay, and I think we played how we wanted to play and at the end we got the points.”
Savannah DeMelo had opened the scoring in the 23rd minute.
This was Racing Louisville’s sixth win across all competitions – league and cup.
“It’s very important because we want to make the championship and we need to start winning. I think we’ve been doing so well for the Challenge Cup and I think coming into this match we said “at home with our supporters we need to give our all’ I mean every game we need we need to give our all, but I think it was important getting that first goal in the first half and then going on to get one in the second-half and maintaining how we play,” she added.
After 12 league matches, Racing Louisville are currently eighth on the table – and still in pursuit of one of the six play-off spots in the NWSL.
“At this point I think we are focusing on making the championship and I think we’re taking one match at a time and so far, we’ve been doing so good, we’ve made so much progress with the Challenge Cup now it’s about time we start getting more into the rhythm of getting points,” she said.
“We got so many draws at the start of the season but it was because we were still trying to understand each other and we can see when we play we get goals from everyone, we don’t depend on one person to score, it’s always different people and like I said with the different players that we have it gives us so much confidence knowing that whoever is on the pitch is going to give 100% where they play 5 minutes or 90 minutes, at the end of the day we are here to represent the team.”
This was Kgatlana’s second start in the league since making her debut for Racing Louisville on 7 June 2023 following a lengthy lay-off from injury dating back to July 2022.
She sustained it in the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations clash against Botswana, in South Africa’s second match in the tournament and had to return home, watching on television as her compatriots go on to win their maiden continental title.
Since returning to action, Kgatlana has played in nine matches, and was an unused substitute in another.
Her two starts came against Gotham and San Diego, lasting 84 and 77 minutes respectively.
She made her debut against Orlando Pride in a league match, with her side going down 1-0 – she was introduced in the 86th minute.
Kgatlana’s fine form returns as she readies herself to travel to South Africa to join her compatriots at a training camp ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
She has been named in the preliminary squad of 36 players, which will be trimmed down to 23 before the start of the tournament.
She is not fazed that the pause for the World Cup will break her club’s momentum – their form in the last five matches reads: WDDWW.
“I don’t think so and I mean the coaches are doing so good like we’ve been rotating the players there are players that are going to the World Cup, potentially, playing and on other days they’re not playing and the team is doing so good with or without the players that are going to the World Cup so I think like I’m saying the depth that we have in the team I think will help us in the long run especially when we lose those players to go to the national team,” said Kgatlana.
Racing Louisville coach Kim Björkegren, was full of praise for his star forward.
“She had a great game, I think she was the best player on the pitch to be honest. She creates so many chances and to finally get a goal is of course important,” said the head coach.
Racing Louisville will next be in action on Sunday, 25 June 2023 when they travel to North Caroline Courage for a league match.
Kgatlana’s matches for Racing Louisville:
- Played 9
- started 2
- scored 1
- unused sub in one match
- Started vs Gotham, NWSL, lasted 84 minutes, scored, won 2-0
- Unused sub vs Houston Dash, NCC – won 3-0 vs Houston Dash
- Started vs San Diego Wave, NWSL, lasted 77 minutes – 0-0
- Introduced in 58th against Washington Spirit, NWSL – 1-1
- Introduced in the 46th vs Chicago, Challenge Cup – won 2-0
- Introduced in the 59th vs North Carolina Courage, NWSL: lost 2-1
- Introduced in the 76th vs Kansas City Current, NWSL, won 2-0
- Introduced in the 74th vs Kansas City Current, NCC. Won 3-2
- Introduced in the 71st vs Chicago, NWSL – won 3-0
- Debut: Introduced in the 86th vs Orlando Pride – NWSL, lost 1-0 (07 June 2023)
By Matlhomola Morake
