Making his first start in the competition, Mofokeng made his mark 17 minutes in.
Union SG’s South African forward #38 Relebohile Mofokeng celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the UEFA Europa League first round day 1 football match against Viktoria Plzen in Plzen, Czech Republic, on Thursday. Photo: Michal Cizek / AFP
Relebohile Mofokeng netted the opener as Union Saint-Gilloise handed Viktoria Plzeň a 3-0 drubbing in the Europa League group-stage opener on Thursday.
Making his first start in the competition, Mofokeng made his mark 17 minutes in. The 21-year-old made a good run into the box to get on the end of a long ball that was floated just behind the Plzeň defence. He showed great strength to fend off two defenders before slicing the ball into the net in fine fashion.
Watch Relebohile Mofokeng scores for Union Saint-Gilloise:
Mateo Biondic then extended their lead before half-time, and Ondřej Kričfaluši added a third goal in the 59th minute.
Before his European goal in Plzeň, Mofokeng had already scored three times in the Belgian league this season.
The performance comes on the same day that Mofokeng was named in Pitso Mosimane’s first squad with the Bafana Bafana since the coach’s return to lead South Africa.
Bafana Bafana are set to face Guinea on September 26 and Eritrea four days later in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
