Orlando Pirates youngster Mohau Nkota is still basking in the glory of his two goals as the Bucs beat CR Belouizdad of Algeria 2-1 in the CAF Champions League on Tuesday.
Nkota is slowly endearing himself to the Pirates supporters after scoring four goals in seven games, having been unleashed by coach Jose Riveiro this season.
The right winger has got fans excited about another young talent as he follows in the footsteps of team-mate Relebohile Mofokeng, who has become a fan favourite in the last one-and-a-half seasons.
However, few know that Nkota’s young football career nearly ended early this year due to a devastating injury.
While turning out for Pirates in the DStv Diski Challenge against Kaizer Chiefs on March 24, the Kimberly-born attacker suffered a neck injury that saw him rushed to hospital and as doctors mulled over how to handle the issue, he feared the worst.
Nkota thought his career was over in March
“While we were waiting for the results to come out, Mohau was visibly distraught. Asking questions like, ‘Am I going to play again?’ ‘Is my career over?’ ‘It can’t end like this surely,’” Thabang Lepule, a Pirates employee who accompanied the youngster to hospital, recalls as per the club website.
“It was so tough because I could see that the boy was dreading the worst. We didn’t know if he would fully recover, let alone return to the sport he loved.”
Mokau recalls the moment vividly, sharing how he thought he would never play again.
“It was one of the toughest moments of my life. I had recently started training with the first team, and I believe at DDC, I was playing some of my best football,” said Nkota.
“The injury came at the worst time possible. Here I am about to become a professional player, and this happens. During my four to five hours wait at the hospital, I had many thoughts coming into my head but fortunately through God’s grace, I overcame my situation.
Bright senior debut for the Pirates youngster
“My return to playing was slow and taxing on me mentally because I had long dizzy spells and constant headaches.”
The teenager would recover fully to return to football but he would perhaps not have known that he would be playing in the Champions League, and scoring goals, before the end of the year.
Nkota was named on the bench for Pirates’ 3-0 win over Polokwane City in the PSL on September 24, before he made his senior team debut against Richards Bay five days later, when he came on as a substitute, playing 13 minutes.
He went under the radar then but there was no escaping the spotlight on October 19 when he came on at halftime to replace Monnapule Saleng in Pirates’ 3-3 Carling Knockout loss to Magesi FC.
His performance impressed his coach who threw him into the deep end against SuperSport United on October 22 when he should have started with two goals were it not for some poor finishing.
Is there a way back for Monnapule Saleng?
Nkota, however, needed just three days to get it right as on October 25 against AmaZulu, he scored a brace to help his team to a 2-1 win and there has been no looking back since.
So good has Nkota been that Monnapule Saleng, PSL Player of the Year two seasons ago, is now sitting on the bench as he starts on the right wing ahead of him, and there have been few complaints given what he is producing.
“It’s hard to put into words what this means to me,” Nkota, who turned 20 this month, said after his goals against CR Belouizdad.
“To score twice in such an important match is a dream come true. I’m just so grateful for everyone who believed in me and for this incredible club.”
The future certainly looks bright for Nkota and he will be grateful that in Riveiro, he has a coach who knows how to integrate young players into the Pirates senior team.
