Exactly 10 months after playing her last match due to injury, Banyana Banyana forward Thembi Kgatlana returned to action – as she ran out for the first time for new employers Racing Louisville away to Orlando Pride in the National Soccer Women’s League (NWSL).
The clash took place in the wee hours of Sunday morning, 01h00 South African time – 7 May 2023 (19h00 USA time – Sat, 6 May 2023).
This is her second stint in the country after being on the books of Houston Dash in 2018 – where she launched her professional career.
Kgatlana started on the bench for Louisville after hinting earlier in the week to CentreCircle.online that she had been cleared to play against Orlando Pride.
Wearing jersey Number 11 – the same number as in the national team – she made her start with four minutes left on the clock, replacing Wang Shuang with Racing a goal down at the Exporia Stadium.
But Kgatlana was unable to help her side get a positive result as they suffered a 1-0 defeat to a fired up Orlando Pride.
“It was amazing to come back and play. “It was a very bittersweet moment for me because I signed with Louisville a year ago, and I only got to play now,” Kgatlana told her club’s website.
Five games into the season, Racing Louisville is yet to win a match – they have lost four and played one draw.
The return of Kgatlana to action will be good news to the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which will be held in Australia and New Zealand from 20 July to 20 August.
The Randfontein-born forward suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon on July 10 last year and had to be stretchered off the field in South Africa’s final group match against Botswana at the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
She left the tournament and immediately flew back home to start rehabilitation – watching her compatriots on television as they rewrote the history books by winning the continental title for the first time ever.
It was only in January this year that she made way her to the USA to join her new teammates at Racing Louisville, a club she signed for in July – a few days before injury side-lined her.
After continuing with her individual recovery, she was able to start training sessions with the rest of her teammates over a month ago before being cleared to play this week by the team’s medical staff.
Kgatlana missed all six of Banyana Banyana World Cup preparation matches, with the scoring workload left to Mexico-based Jermaine Seoposenwe and Hilda Magaia who plays in South Korea.
The South Africans managed only one win (3-0 vs Uzbekistan); a draw (1-1 vs Slovenia) and suffered four defeats (0-3, 0-6 vs Brazil; 1-4 vs Australia and 2-3 vs Serbia).
Desiree Ellis’ charges scored seven goals and conceded 17.
By Matlhomola Morake
