MTN8: Five-Star Performers
The curtain has come down on a wonderful
2012 MTN8 tournament and we select five players who lit up the show this year.
A total of 28 goals were scored in nine
matches in this year’s competition providing great entertainment for fans and
some stunning individual performances as Moroka Swallows went on to lift the
trophy with a 2-1 final victory over SuperSport United last Saturday.
Here are our top-five men of the 2012 MTN8
in no particular order:
Lerato Chabangu (Moroka Swallows)
Chabangu was outstanding in this year’s
MTN8, probably having his least effective game in the final against SuperSport
United. He brought not only goals, but great creativity too and it was these
performances more than any that saw him recalled to the Bafana Bafana squad for
the internationals against Brazil and Mozambique recently. Swallows and Bafana fans
will hope that Chabangu is now at the peak of his powers having battled with
off-field problems in recent years. It certainly looks that way.
Bennett Chenene (Moroka Swallows)
Chenene is something of an unsung hero in
the Swallows side, but his winning goal in the final has hopefully put him in
the forefront of Swallows’ fans minds. He also scored in both legs of the
semifinals of the MTN8 against Mamelodi Sundowns and has netted in each of the
last five games in all competitions for The Birds. A left-winger with a great
eye for goal, he is fulfilling the potential that everyone saw in his while
with Orlando Pirates in the past, having had spells either side of that with
AmaZulu and Bloemfontein Celtic.
Bevan Fransman (SuperSport United)
Defenders don’t often receive praise and it
is probably more art than entertainment to see a centre-back at his best. Fransman
was a rock at the back for SuperSport though, especially in the semifinals in
both legs against Orlando Pirates. His return to the PSL was quite a coup for
SuperSport, with Fransman having been playing UEFA Champions League football
with Hapoel Tel Aviv the season before last. He showed in the MTN8 just what a
quality performer he is.
Punch
Masenamela (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Masenamela could not help his Sundowns side
past the semifinals against SuperSport, but it was not for a lack of trying. The
left-back was magnificent for the team, rampaging forward to join the attacks
and frightening the life out of his opponents. He left Kaizer Chiefs a few
years ago as a player who many thought would not fulfill his potential, but he
has proved in this competition that he is arguably the best left-back in the
PSL … even with Tsepo Masilela now at Chiefs.
Giorgi Nergadze (Moroka Swallows)
Nergadze showed his excellent versatility
that can see him play either as a centre-back or defensive midfielder. Oh, and
he popped up with a fantastic goal in the final against SuperSport too. Not
much is ever said about the Georgian, but he is one of the most consistent
players in the PSL, hardly ever putting a foot wrong in what he does. He joined
The Birds in June 2010 and has barely missed a match since then under a succession
of Swallows coaches, which shows his value to the side.
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