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While Thembinkosi Lorch received the most praise in Saturday’s MTN8 final, the Namibia international also played a key role.
Former Orlando Pirates winger Dikgang Mabalane believes Deon Hotto is becoming increasingly influential for the Sea Robbers.
Mabalane was commenting in his capacity as SuperSport TV analyst on Saturday night following the Buccaneers 2-1 win over Bloemfontein Celtic in the MTN8 2020 final at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
Celtic had initially surprised Bucs by opening the scoring in the fourth minute through Siphelele Luthuli.
And while Thembinkosi Lorch, who came on as a substitute in the 24th minute for Thabang Monare and was widely recognized for changing the game, and also got the winner, Hotto also played a crucial role.
It was his brilliant finish in the 32nd minute that put the Bucs back on the same level.
“He (Hotto) also goes in and tries to get into the area and into the danger zones and thus he will begin to score goals in a team like the Pirates,” Mabalane said.
“He used to hang around the line too much, more like an old-fashioned winger. But now he’s learning and changing his approach to the game, I think it will give him that element where he will add goals to his game.”
The Namibian international is in his first season with the Pirates, having signed from Bidvest Wits. He has added two assists and one goal in four MTN8 games and also contributed two assists in six league appearances for the Buccaneers.
Simphiwe Dludlu, her fellow analyst and coach for the South African U-17 women’s team, says she has been impressed by Hotto’s career lines.
“You hardly catch him offside, because he’s in a position where he says to a defender, ‘You see me now, you don’t see me anymore.’
“And that is an incredible ability because you always want to go inside the defenders, they touch you and it is a penalty.”
Hotto, 30, has been playing in South Africa since 2014, having signed for African Stars’ Golden Arrows in Namibia. He also represented Bloemfontein Celtic before joining Wits and later Pirates.
In 154 Premier Soccer League (PSL) matches he has scored 15 goals and added 37 assists. In 27 Cup games in South Africa, he has four goals and six assists.
