Bafana Players Secure League Titles Overseas as Mailula Scores for Wydad
Bafana Bafana players Siyabonga Ngezana and Elias Mokwana celebrated their respective titles in the Romanian SuperLiga and the Tunisian Ligue 1. Additionally, Cassius Mailula netted a goal for Wydad Casablanca for the second match running.
On Saturday evening, the Romanian team claimed their championship after their nearest rivals, CFR Cluj and Universitatea Craiova, finished their title pursuits in a thrilling 2-2 draw.
FCSB secured their 28th championship with a 2-0 victory over Universitatea Cluj on Sunday night, establishing a nine-point advantage at the top of the table with two games left. Consequently, the former Kaizer Chiefs defender has now achieved consecutive league titles in Romania.
In another instance, Mokwana scored as Esperance de Tunis triumphed over Olympique de Beja with a dominating 5-0, clinching their 34th league title in the Tunisian top tier with one match remaining.
The Taraji lead the standings with 65 points from 29 matches, while second-placed US Monastir, under the guidance of 75-year-old coach Faouzi Benzarti, ceded the title after a 1-1 draw with Etoile Metlaoui, bringing their possible points to a total of 64.
For the former Sekhukhune United winger, this marks his inaugural league title, making him the first South African player to achieve this in Tunisia. Mokwana has already secured the Tunisian Super Cup with Esperance this season.
In Morocco, Mailula found the net once more, bringing his total to five goals and seven assists over 33 matches. Unfortunately, the 22-time Moroccan champions narrowly missed out on a CAF Champions League spot, finishing three points behind AS FAR in second place for the second straight season.
Nonetheless, the Red Castle will participate in continental football next season after clinching a CAF Confederations Cup spot with a third-place finish and 54 points in the Botola Pro League, improving from their sixth-place finish in the 2023/24 season.
In other news, Fadlu Davids’ Simba SC edged closer to the top with a determined 2-1 comeback victory over Kinondoni MC, thanks to a brace from Ugandan striker Steven Mukwala, who scored in both halves to secure maximum points.
The Reds of Msimbazi are currently in second place, just one point shy of log leaders and rivals Young Africans after 26 league matches. Davids’ team has amassed 69 points, while Yanga leads with 70, with the two sides yet to face off in the second half of the season.