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MAKGALWA’S STAR IS RISING AT DOWNS

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 Keletso Makgalwa of Mamelodi Sundowns
Keletso Makgalwa of Mamelodi Sundowns

GOING out on loan to Maritzburg United last season toughened up Mamelodi Sundowns rising star Keletso Makgalwa.

Although his loan deal did not last long it proved to be a blessing in disguise for the talented Makgalwa who says he is enjoying his football these days.

Makgalwa’s loan deal was terminated in January after the forward fell foul of then Maritzburg’s new coach Muhsin Ertugral who arrived in January last year.

Makgalwa failed to impress the hard to please Turkish born coach and he axed Makgalwa four games into his rein. However, Ertugral lasted only one more game and he suffered the same fate when he was sacked after five winless games.

“I got some good experience at Maritzburg and coming back to Sundowns this season I knew what to expect with regards to the PSL’s intensity,” said Makgalwa.

“So it was a lesson learnt, a good learning curve for me. I decided to work harder since I had tested the intensity of the PSL’s demands.

“To be in the Sundowns squad right now, I knew I had to work three times harder.”

Despite the loan being cut short, it was at Maritzburg where Makgalwa scored his first PSL goal. It came against Free State Stars on 8 August 2018 in which Maritzburg lost 2-1.

He could not play for Sundowns or their reserve team when he returned last season from the Team of Choice, as he was registered with United for the season.

However, Downs reserve and SA Under-23 coach David Notoane thought so highly of him that he selected Makgalwa for the youthful Bafana Bafana squad to play in last year’s Cosafa Cup in Durban.

Makgalwa said spending the pre-season with Downs minus most of their senior players who were away at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, also worked in his favour to impress coach Pitso Mosimane.

Mosimane was impressed by the hard work put in by Makgalwa in the off season.

“It was my chance to let the coach see that I can work hard and score and it is what I have done,” revealed Makgalwa.

The Mokopane-born forward rewarded Mosimane in the club’s last game when he curled in the winner as Sundowns booked their semi-final spot in the Nedbank Cup after beating the battle-hardened Highlands Park 1-0 after extra time.

“I had to do what I did, to perform and work hard, to make sure that I stay in the team,” Makgalwa added.

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