Three key players at Black Leopards

In the last in our series looking at all 16 Premier Soccer League clubs, we assess who have been three key players at Black Leopards this season as the club sits bottom of the division and staring relegation in the face.

LESEDI KAPINGA

Kapinga’s star has shone brightly this season and there are reports that all of the so-called ‘Big Three’ are chasing his signature. He is no youngster at 25, but looks to have developed into a fine attacking midfielder with five goals in 21 starts this campaign. It is his second season in the PSL, having joined Leopards from Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila in the second-tier, where he has debuted in 2017/18.

THABO MATLABA

The veteran defender has seen his career reborn at Leopards this season, which even culminated in a Bafana Bafana call-up for the March internationals that were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He last played international football in 2016 and it looked as though his club career had fizzled out when he left Orlando Pirates at the end of last season. But Leopards snapped him up and he has been a revelation for the side with 24 starts so far.

PENTJIE ZULU

It is fair to say left-back Zulu has been something of a journeyman with six different clubs since 2016, but he looks to have finally found a settled home at Leopards. In fact, he has started 48 of their last 54 league games, having previously failed to impress in the top-flight at Chippa United and BidVest Wits. Prior to that he did have a good spell at Jomo Cosmos, but later dropped into the second-tier with Mthatha Bucks and Highlands Park.