SA Star Achieves Historic Milestone in MLS
South African winger Bongokuhle Hlongwane made history for Minnesota United by scoring two goals in their 3-1 triumph over Houston during Major League Soccer (MLS) on Thursday morning.
With his family in the stands, the former Maritzburg United (now known as Durban City) talent opened the scoring for Minnesota just a minute after the hour mark, racing to celebrate with his mother and younger brother.
Hlongwane quickly found the net again, netting a second goal just two minutes later, followed by Robin Lod, who increased the advantage to 3-0. The visitors managed to score in stoppage time, thanks to on-loan Fluminense player Felipe Andrade.
Delivering an exceptional performance that earned him the man of the match title, the 25-year-old forward helped elevate his team in the 15-team Western Conference of the MLS, enhancing their playoff prospects.
In contrast to Njabulo Blom’s Saint Louis City, currently sitting in 14th place in the same conference, Minnesota is firmly in third place with 33 points from 19 games, which include nine wins, six draws, and four losses.
Meanwhile, Hlongwane, who had scored only once in his first 18 appearances this season while playing as a right wingback, has shifted to a wide forward role in former Manchester United assistant coach Eric Ramsay’s 5-4-1 formation.
This season, the Bafana international has tallied three goals and two assists in 20 matches across all competitions, starting in 16 of those games. His recent accomplishments mark a significant milestone for Minnesota.
With his brace, Hlongwane has surpassed Emmanuel Reynoso for the second-most regular-season goals in the club’s history, bringing his overall total to 24 since joining the United States.
Born in KwaZulu-Natal, Hlongwane joined Minnesota in January 2022, signing a three-year contract upon his arrival.
Recently, he extended his contract until December 2027, with an optional additional year following his renewal in November 2024.