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Five greatest Botswana players in PSL history

football17 July 2020 08:34| © Mzansi Football
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Thatayaone Ditlhokwe © Gallo Images

SuperSport United's Thatayaone Ditlhokwe was just beginning to find his feet in the PSL when the current season was suspended last March.

The campaign was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic with the 21-year-old sensation enjoying game time in Matsatsantsa's defence.

Having moved to SuperSport from Township Rollers last January, Ditlhokwe has joined a list of Botswana players, who plied their trade in South African top-flight league over the years.

Most players from the Southern African country grow up watching PSL football and dream of playing in the competition which is one of the richest and most attractive leagues in Africa.

We take a look at the top five greatest Botswana players in the history of the PSL:

PHENYO MONGALA

The retired skillful winger is best remembered for his time with Orlando Pirates where scored on his unofficial debut against English side Manchester City in the 2009 Vodacom Challenge.

Mongala was mainly used as an impact player from the bench during his two-year spell with the Soweto giants and he helped the team win a historic treble as they lifted the PSL title, MTN8 and Nedbank Cup in the 2010/11 season.

Nicknamed Mzambiya, Mongala was signed by Pirates shortly after he inspired National First Division (NFD) side University of Pretoria to the 2009 Nedbank Cup final having stunned Kaizer Chiefs in the Round of 16 encounter.

Mzambiya, who spent the 2011/12 season at Bloemfontein Celtic on loan from Pirates before returning to Botswana, also had a stint with the now-defunct Platinum Stars in the 2006/07 season and he then moved to the University of Pretoria.

DIPHETOGO SELOLWANE

Better known as Dipsy, Selolwane is widely considered to be one of Botswana's greatest exports having turned out for five teams during his time in the PSL.

Dipsy arrived in South Africa in 2005 and he joined Santos FC where he spent two seasons before having a one-year spell with Jomo Cosmos in the 2007/08 campaign playing as a midfielder-cum-striker.

Selolwane then played some of his best football at Ajax Cape Town between 2008 and 2010 - helping the team clinch the Telkom Knockout Cup in his first season and he was snapped up by SuperSport United.

The former Botswana international had a two-year spell with SuperSport where he won the 2012 Nedbank Cup and also spent two years with the University of Pretoria, before he hung up his boots in 2014.

MOGOGI GABONAMONG

The Botswana legend joined his compatriot Diphetogo Selolwane at Santos FC in 2006 and he quickly became a key player as a reliable defensive midfielder.

Gabonamong spent four-and-a-half years with the former PSL champions and he captained the team, before he was signed by SuperSport United midway through the 2010/11 campaign and he reunited with Selolwane.

A hard-tackling player, who could also play in central defence, Gabonamong helped Matsatsantsa clinch the Nedbank Cup in his first full season (2011/12) with the team and he moved to Bloemfontein Celtic in January 2014.

Gabonamong joined his countryman Joel Mogorosi at Phunya Sele Sele where he spent two campaigns with the team and he decided to return home to Botswana at the end of the 2014/15 season.

JOEL MOGOROSI

The former Botswana captain had a successful three-year spell with Bloemfontein Celtic operating as a winger and striker between 2012 and 2015.

The man nicknamed Speedfire hit the ground running in South African football as he inspired Celtic to the 2012 Telkom Knockout Cup triumph - scoring three goals in the competition including one in the final against Mamelodi Sundowns.

The 2012 Telkom Knockout Cup Player of the Tournament was also a key player for Celtic in the Absa Premiership which saw the team finish in the top eight in each of his three seasons with the club and he was named vice-captain.

Mogorosi struggled with injuries during his last season (2014/15) with Celtic and he parted ways with the Free State giants at the end of the campaign and he returned to Botswana.

Mogakolodi Ngele

The accomplished forward is the most decorated Botswana player in the history of the PSL having enjoyed success with three clubs.

Ngele announced himself to South African football when he netted 10 league goals for the now-defunct Platinum Stars in his first season (2012/13), before inspiring the team to the MTN8 and Telkom Knockout Cup double during the 2013/14 campaign.

The 2013 Telkom Knockout Cup Player of the Tournament was signed by Mamelodi Sundowns at the end of the following season (2014/15) and helped the team clinch the league title and Telkom Knockout Cup in his first campaign with the team.

Ngele also won the league title and MTN8 with Bidvest Wits in the 2016/17 season while on loan from Sundowns, before returning to his parent club, but he was loaned out again and this time he joined SuperSport United midway through the 2017/18 campaign.

The left-footed player is now on the books of Black Leopards having joined the club prior to the start of the current season after being released by Sundowns in June 2019.

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