Linda Motlhalo. Elite penalty converter. Spot kick speciliast. Sharpshooter. And on and on and on. One may use all of the superlatives to explain South Africa’s quantity 10 over time in terms of changing from the spot. The 27-year-old midfielder is the primary selection go-to pinpoint scorer for the Banyana Banyana, and she or he has been excellent over time since discovering the again of the web for the primary time on the WAFCON in 2016.
An 84th minute objective in opposition to Egypt in open play to seal a 5-0 victory over the North Africans to make sure Banyana Banyana booked a spot within the semifinals in Limbe, Cameroon was the start of her goalscoring rely on the WAFCON as an 18-year-old.
Teenage sensation to Reliable Executor
Calm in chaos is the easiest way to explain Motlhalo when she steps as much as take a penalty for South Africa. Carrying the burden of a nation, the Gauteng born midfield maestro understands the job at hand and has mastered the right way to rise above the noise to create magic.
Motlhalo transformed her first penalty on the WAFCON within the 2018 version in Ghana on the age of 20 when she was the primary to seek out the again of the web in a formidable 7-1 win over two-time African champions Equatorial Guinea on the group stage degree to open the floodgates for her teammates. The win despatched Banyana Banyana to the semifinals as Group B leaders.
However tables turned. On the similar version, Motlhalo took to the coveted spot and missed a deciding penalty that would have gained South Africa their first TotalEnergies WAFCON title. A closing in opposition to their greatest archrivals Nigeria. The stage had been set.
Previous to that second, South Africa had been to the ultimate thrice and had misplaced all of them – to Nigeria in 2000 and to Equatorial Guinea twice in 2008 and 2012. In Ghana as soon as once more in opposition to Nigeria, revenge would have been excellent for the Banyana Banyana however alas!
“I feel in terms of penalties, I’ll take it again to 2018 after we performed in opposition to Nigeria within the closing. I took a deciding penalty, and I missed it. Clearly, had I scored, we might have gained the WAFCON. It was a deciding factor for me. I understand how it feels when one misses a penalty. I went again dwelling and I used to be training rather a lot as a result of I did not need that feeling anymore,” Motlhalo opens up on what modified her strategy to penalties.
The scars of that closing modified the trajectory of South Africa’s preparations for the WAFCON going ahead. They went on to defeat Nigeria within the subsequent two editions of their opening video games on the WAFCON. In 2018, they gained due to a Thembi Kgatlana lone objective that did the job.
4 years later, Jermaine Seoposenwe and Hildah Magaia netted in a 2-1 victory over the Tremendous Falcons to additional emphasize that South Africa had discovered their mojo in opposition to the now nine-time report African champions. They deserved to take a seat on the excessive desk of African Soccer.
As soon as crushed, twice shy
Modern on and off the sphere, Motlhalo is of course a go-getter. Born right into a soccer household together with her father taking over teaching and her uncle Joseph Motlhalo taking part in as a goalkeeper for South African giants Kaizer Chiefs between 1970 and 1985, Motlhalo was destined to play soccer.
“I grew up in a household that was soccer oriented. My Dad was a coach, and I feel on the age of six when my Dad used to go coach the boys, he would simply give me a ball, and I’d juggle it. I feel that is when he realized that that is what makes me completely satisfied. And that is the way it began. After I play soccer, I neglect my issues. It’s my pleasure. It’s my happiness,” she reveals.
Her ardour of taking part in soccer has seen her journey internationally taking part in at main tournaments for South Africa together with the Rio 2016 Olympics, two World Cups in 2019 in France and 2023 in Australia and New Zealand. Her skilled journey at membership degree began within the NWSL – the American topflight league for Houston Sprint in 2018 earlier than taking part in in Beijing, China the next 12 months. She then joined Djurgården in Sweden, Glasgow Metropolis in Scotland, Racing Louisville within the NWSL earlier than returning to Glasgow Metropolis in 2025.
“I all the time observe penalties at membership degree in addition to on the nationwide crew,” Motlhalo says with robust affirmation on her face. This expertise continued to present her confidence as she grew in leaps and bounds from the spot.
On the WAFCON in 2022, Motlhalo netted twice from the penalty spot – one in opposition to Burundi within the group levels in a 3-1 victory that booked Banyana Banyana’s place within the quarterfinals. They edged Tunisia 1-0 to progress to the semifinals the place they met a cussed Zambia aspect.
As soon as once more, Motlhalo made no mistake. From the best way she positioned the ball on the spot to how she checked out goalkeeper Hazel Nali as if to examine the pupils in her eyes to the best way that she stepped again, assessed her angle, Motlhalo knew that this one was going straight in.
And similar to that, within the 94th minute, she slotted the ball to earn South Africa a vital victory that earned them a spot within the closing that they went on to win 2-1 in opposition to hosts Morocco.
“Zambia! I bear in mind one in all my teammates asking me, “Are you taking it?” I did not even reply to it. I stored praying, praying and I felt that my knees had been shaking. I do not understand how I did it, however I used to be nervous. However I’m glad that it went in. Stress is a privilege for me.”
On to the Promised Land
With the boldness of lastly profitable the WAFCON in 2022, Motlhalo is now writing historical past. A reminder that success involves those that put together for it and resolve to face concern within the face. For Motlhalo, the boldness she will get from her teammates offers her superpowers.
“Now we have been training penalties, and it actually reveals. We feed off one another. It is thoughts video games in terms of penalties. Andile (Dlamini) (South Africa’s goalkeeper) doesn’t make it straightforward for us in coaching. To some extent the place I did not really feel strain anymore. It is extra like a second that occurs throughout the sport, and I have to cherish it. So, each time that I’m confronted with strain, I take it as, “I have to be as calm as attainable.” I simply do what I’ve been doing in coaching.”
“I used to be all the time reminded by those that had you not missed. We might have been champions. I like being criticised as a result of if I’m not being criticized, I get frightened as a result of it signifies that folks care. So, I took that in a constructive approach, and I made it work,” she emphasizes.
On the ongoing TotalEnergies WAFCON 2024 in Morocco, Motlhalo began from the place she had left off prior to now editions. In her typical routine, deliberate from the onset, she put one previous Ghanaian custodian Cynthia Konlan to open the scoring for South Africa on this 12 months’s version. The Banyana Banyana went on to win 2-0 in opposition to the three-time WAFCON finalists.
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“I feel I used to be calmer. Additionally, it was the factor that, I do know I’m going to take it. Even the crew saying, nobody goes to take it however Linda. That by itself offers me confidence as properly. I feel for me the vital factor was being calm,” Motlhalo reminscences.
On Tuesday, July 22 in a extremely contested encounter between South Africa and Nigeria, Motlhalo as soon as once more stood tall. Trailing 0-1 to the Tremendous Falcons on the halftime break, South Africa wanted one thing, something. And similar to that, when Magaia was introduced down within the 18-yard field, Ugandan referee Shamirah Nabadda pointed to the spot.
Banyana Banyana captain Refiloe Jane picked up the ball, held onto it as all of the gamers tuned their mindsets to that second. In the meantime, Motlhalo stood again, observing every thing that was occurring in entrance of her and calculating the place to place the ball.
Successfully, she grew to become the primary and solely participant to attain previous Nigerian goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie who had till the semifinals stored 4 clear sheets on the TotalEnergies WAFCON 2024 when she equalized in opposition to the Tremendous Falcons.
Michelle Alozie discovered the again of the web within the 94th minute to shutter South Africa’s desires of defending their title however for Motlhalo and her teammates, they may head dwelling realizing that they gave their all in a closely contested matchup in opposition to the continent’s crème de la crème.
Six WAFCON objectives – 5 of them penalties in three editions has earned Motlhalo the title – African Penalty Queen. A title that’s not essentially comfort for his or her elimination from the title race however one which units her aside from the group.
