Zakhele Lepasa

Zakhele Lerato Lepasa (born 19 March 1997) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a centre forward for South African Premier Division side Orlando Pirates and the South Africa national football team.

Zakhele Lepasa
Personal information
Full name Zakhele Lerato Lepasa[1]
Date of birth (1997-03-19) 19 March 1997
Place of birth Soweto, South Africa
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s) Centre forward[1]
Team information
Current team
 Orlando Pirates
Number 9
Youth career
0000–2018 Orlando Pirates
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018– Orlando Pirates 31 (9)
2018–2019 → Stellenbosch (loan) 4 (0)
2019 → TS Galaxy (loan) 13 (7)
2023 → SuperSport United (loan) 9 (3)
International career‡
2019– South Africa 7 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14 August 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 9 July 2023

Club career

Born in Soweto,[2] Lepasa started his career at Orlando Pirates.[3] In August 2018, Lepasa joined Stellenbosch on a season-long loan.[3] However, after 4 league appearances for Stellenbosch,[4] he switched to TS Galaxy on loan in February 2019.[5][6] He scored 9 goals in 15 matches for TS Galaxy in all competitions,[4] including scoring the only goal of the 2019 Nedbank Cup Final against Kaizer Chiefs from the penalty spot, making TS Galaxy the first side from outside South Africa's top tier to win the competition.[7] After 4 goals in 4 matches in the Nedbank Cup, he was awarded the 'Player of the Tournament' award as well as being the top scorer in the competition.[8]

Lepasa made his debut for Orlando Pirates on 14 September 2019 as a substitute in a 2–1 win over Chippa United.[4][9]

International career

Lepasa made his international debut on 2 June 2019 in a 2–2 draw with Botswana in the 2019 COSAFA Cup, with Lepasa scoring in the penalty shoot-out as South Africa lost 5–4.[1][10] He also scored 1 goal in Bafana Bafana 2-1 win over Morocco, 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification, 17 June 2023.[11][12]

International goals
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.20 November 2022Mbombela Stadium, Mbombela, South Africa Angola1–11–1Friendly
2.28 March 2023Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex, Monrovia, Liberia Liberia1–02–12023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
3.17 June 2023FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa Morocco2–02–1

References
  1. "Zakhele Lepasa". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  2. "Rising star Zakhele Lepasa enjoying his new-found fame". SowetanLIVE.
  3. "Stellenbosch FC snap up Orlando Pirates striker Lerato Lepasa | Goal.com". www.goal.com.
  4. Zakhele Lepasa at Soccerway. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  5. "Orlando Pirates Send Youngster On Loan". Soccer Laduma. 4 February 2019.
  6. "Tim Sukazi: Zakhele Lepasa was suppose to go to ABC Motsepe | Goal.com". www.goal.com.
  7. "The Zakhele Lepasa penalty that won TS Galaxy the cup vs Kaizer Chiefs [video]". 18 May 2019.
  8. "Orlando Pirates coach Micho takes Zakhele Lepasa and Augustine Mahlonoko to Zambia for pre-season". Kick Off. 11 July 2018.
  9. "How Orlando Pirates paid their school fees". Kick Off. 17 September 2019.
  10. "Botswana win shootout to dump Bafana Bafana out of Cosafa Cup". TimesLIVE.
  11. Sihle, Ndebele. "Bafana win over Morocco vindicates Broos – Buckley". SowetanLIVE. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  12. Sihle, Ndebele. "Bafana hero Lepasa urged to bide his time at club level". SowetanLIVE. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
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