Kekana’s Breath-Taking Screamer for FIFA Puskas Goal of the Year!

Hlomplo Kekana, Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns influential defensive midfielder is in line this year’s FIFA Puskas Goal of the Year Award. 

Kekana’s scorcher from inside his own half during a 2017 African Cup of Nations qualifier in Yaoundé in March, this year may bring the prestigious award to African soil.

He disposed Tony Tchani on the right wing inside his own half in the 50^th minute, and struck a screamer past Ndy Assembe who was off his line in the Indomitable Lions goal. 

Others nominated for the prize is Neymar’s volley against Villarreal in a Spanish La Liga match last season, Lionel Messi’s sublime free-kick against Argentina in this year’s Copa Centenario against the United States and Atletico  Madrid midfielder, Saul Niguez’s solo effort against Bayern Munich in this season’s UEFA Champions League group match. 

Other midfield greats to have scored from their own half are Spanish legend and Bayern Munich anchorman, Xabi Alonso and English great, David Beckham.

The Sundowns skipper is the third South African to be nominated for the prestigious award.

In 2009, former national team and Sundowns striker, Katlego Mphela’s 30-yard scorcher against Spain at the Confederations Cup was nominated but got a paltry 2.59 percent votes as Real Madrid talisman and Portugal captain, Christiano Ronaldo ran away with the prize.

The following year, Kaizer Chiefs’ fleet-footed attacking midfielder, Siphiwe Tshabala’s screamer against Mexico at the opening match of the 2010 World Cup, was nominated. Turkey’s Hamit Altintop won the award, for his 18-yard pile-driver in a European Championship qualifier against Kazakhstan on September 3^rd, 2010.

Other past winners of the award are Brazil’s Neymar (2011), James Rodriguez of Colombia (2014), Zlatan Ibrahimović of Sweden (2013) and Wendel Lira of Brazil (2015).

The award, named after Hungarian great and captain, Ferenc Puskas was inaugurated in 2009, to honor the goal judged to be the most beautiful in a year.

The winner of the award, which is determined by public vote will be announced on January 9, next year during FIFA’s Player of the Year gala in Zurich, Switzerland.

Voting will be done in two rounds, with the first open from November 21^st to December 2^nd, this year after which the list will be whittled down to three.

The final round will close on January 9^th, next year.

Kekana’s nomination comes barely a month after he led Sundowns to lifting the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League title, for the first time in its history, beating Egyptian giants, on a 3-1 aggregate win.