Mofokeng scores first goal in Europa League, marking South Africa national team

African footballers attracted the attention of fans across Europe last weekend, scoring decisive goals and moments that determined the outcome of matches in the continent's top leagues. Among the bright examples is Relebohile Mofokeng from South Africa, who continues to show impressive form for Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium.

Besides him, Algerian winger Mohamed Belloumi played for promoted Hull City in England, and Serhou Guirassy scored in Germany. Inaki Williams was also notable in Spain, as was Malik Yalkoue for Brighton.

Belgium

Relebohile Mofokeng, a player for the Bafana Bafana team, scored his third goal in the Belgian championship in just his second starting match. On Sunday evening, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise achieved a convincing 5-0 victory over Lommel SK. The 21-year-old former Orlando Pirates player doubled his team's lead in the seventh minute, adding to previous goals against Westerlo and Sint-Truidense, allowing the team to take first place in the standings.

England

Mohamed Belloumi (Hull City)

Algerian winger Mohamed Belloumi scored twice, helping Hull City, which was promoted to the Premier League, extend its unbeaten run to four matches with a 2-2 draw away against Chelsea. Belloumi scored both his goals in the league, continuing the team's successful start after a ten-year absence from the top division. He scored a brace in the first half in six minutes, using two precise left-footed shots; the second goal came after several touches from Chelsea defenders. His brace secured 'The Tigers' third place in the match at Stamford Bridge.

Malik Yalkoue (Brighton)

The midfielder, born in Mali, scored a goal in 'The Seagulls'' 5-0 victory over Coventry, who played with ten men. Yalkoue, who previously played for the Mali U-23 national team, scored Brighton's second goal in the 51st minute, accelerating past Coventry's defense and sending the ball into the net. This was the 20-year-old player's second goal this season, after he also scored in the loss to Chelsea.

Spain

Inaki Williams (Athletic Bilbao)

Ghana national team player Williams helped his team secure a 1-1 draw in La Liga against Elche, scoring a goal from close range less than ten minutes before the end of the match. The 32-year-old forward gently touched the ball into the net despite attempts by two defenders to block the shot. This was his first goal of the campaign.

Italy

Akor Adams (Venezia)

Adams helped the bottom-placed club Venezia gain a home advantage before the match against Fiorentina, but Franco Mastantuono's hat-trick allowed the visitors to win the Serie A match 4-2. The Nigerian forward struck from outside the penalty area, bringing temporary joy to the relegation battlers.

Germany

Christian Kofane (Bayer Leverkusen)

Kofane's excellent goal in the eighteenth minute proved insufficient as Leverkusen held on to a 2-2 draw with Augsburg. The 20-year-old Cameroonian forward received a long pass from Burkina Faso's Edmond Tapsoba and calmly directed a low shot into the lower right corner, opening the scoring.

Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund)

Guirassy had two goals disallowed for offside, but still played a key role as Borussia confidently won the home match against Paderborn 3-0. For the first time this season, he was included in the squad alongside his attacking partner Fabio Silva, who scored the first goal just five minutes after Guirassy passed to the Portuguese player near the center circle.

France

Abdalla Sylla (Lens)

Sylla triggered Lens' comeback in the Ligue 1 match, which ended in a 2-2 draw with Le Mans, by scoring in stoppage time late in the first half to reduce the two-goal deficit. The Senegalese international scored his first league goal of the season with a header past goalkeeper Juan Hatfuet.

Relebohile Mofokeng has actively established himself in Belgium, and his recent move to Europe could serve as an example for young players from South Africa and the Bafana Bafana national team.

The former Orlando Pirates player has already scored two goals in five matches for Royal Union Saint-Gilloise. The 21-year-old footballer showed a promising start in Europe after leaving Pirates, and his recent goals indicate a quick adaptation to the new environment.

Mofokeng's goals are particularly significant given the scale of changes he has had to undergo. He arrived in Belgium after establishing himself as one of the most promising young players in the Betway Premiership, where he became one of Pirates' most influential attacking players. However, the situation at Union Saint-Gilloise is different from before.

Rele has had to adapt to a new country, a different tactical system, and increased competition for playing spots, while simultaneously mastering the requirements necessary for stable success in European football. Nevertheless, the early results look promising.

Mofokeng's ability to carry the ball, attack defenders, and create chances was already well known during his time at Pirates. The main challenge has always been whether he can translate these qualities to a higher level of play. Two goals in five matches suggest that he is beginning to do just that.

The next step, however, is consistency. Mofokeng aims to turn this promising start into a sustained run of performances and establish himself as an important attacking option for Union Saint-Gilloise. This will ultimately be the best measure of his transfer's success, rather than just the early goals.

His progress is also interesting from the perspective of the Bafana Bafana national team. Mofokeng already has international experience and participated in the South African campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, meaning he is part of a new era under Pitso Mosimane with an established place in the national team discussion. Regular appearances and strong performances in Belgium could strengthen this position.

At 21 years old, Mofokeng still has much time to develop, and regular play in Europe may expose him to the tactical demands and intensity that can further shape his game. For now, the main focus is on Union Saint-Gilloise. Two goals in five matches is a positive start for a player beginning his first European adventure. Mofokeng left Pirates in search of a new challenge in his career, and early signs suggest he is embracing that challenge.

All attention will be focused on Pitso Mosimane in the coming days as he shapes his first Bafana Bafana squad ahead of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers. The new head coach, Pitso Mosimane, has quickly started working with Bafana Bafana, and his preliminary squad suggests that maintaining stability is important, although no one's place is guaranteed.

The 35-man squad includes a significant number of players who participated in the 2026 World Cup under Hugo Broos, which is understandable after Bafana reached the tournament playoffs. However, Mosimane has also included several new names, making the situation quite interesting.

The new coach did not come with the conviction that every squad decision made by Broos must be retained simply because he led Bafana to the World Cup playoffs. On the contrary, coach Pitso Mosimane announced the preliminary squad for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Guinea and Eritrea. South Africa will also play a friendly away match against Egypt on October 4, 2026.

Bafana Bafana

New faces have appeared in the preliminary squad, returning players, and footballers who previously failed to break into the squad under Broos. Among the players who give the squad a completely different look are Puso Ditadjane, Shandri Campbell, Cemran Dansin, Lebone Sima, and Ronaldo van Niel. Furthermore, Luther Singh, who has been out of focus for a long time at Bafana, as well as Lebohang Maboe and Cassius Mailula, feature again in the squad discussion.

Another notable inclusion is Tashrik Matthews. A similar mindset is evident regarding Yanel Mbutuma. His inclusion was unexpected, given the criticism he received at Orlando Pirates for finishing attacks, but this also speaks to Mosimane's approach to the job: he is ready to conduct his own assessment.

There is an important difference between respecting what Broos built and simply copying it. Bafana has a World Cup foundation, and Mosimane would be shortsighted if he dismantled it before the upcoming matches against Guinea and Eritrea on September 26 and 30, respectively. But he would be equally foolish to assume that the team cannot be improved.

Thus, the preliminary squad is more aimed at competition than at a complete overhaul. Established players are now competing with younger and returning footballers. This can only positively affect Bafana. For a long time, the national team sometimes felt like a closed circle of acquaintances; once a player entered the main group, it was difficult to introduce someone new. Mosimane immediately opened that door.

However, this also places pressure on him. It is easy to call up different players, but getting the right players onto the field to help Bafana improve is a difficult task. Mosimane has very little time for experiments, as the matches against Guinea and Eritrea are not just friendlies, but AFCON qualifiers, and Bafana needs results.

There is a foundation, and Mosimane should build upon it, not try to create a completely new Bafana. Early signs show that this is exactly what is happening. He has retained enough players from Broos's World Cup group to maintain continuity while making enough changes so that the old hierarchy is not automatically preserved. This is the perfect balance. Bafana does not need another restructuring; it needs evolution, and Mosimane's first squad demonstrates that he understands this difference.