Siphesihle Ndlovu

Siphesihle Ndlovu
Personal information
Full name Siphesihle Ndlovu
Date of birth (1996-09-30) 30 September 1996[1]
Place of birth Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Maritzburg United
Number 8
Youth career
Umgungundlovu Academy of Sport
Maritzburg United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013– Maritzburg United 46 (5)
National team‡
2018– South Africa 5 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 11:08, 19 August 2018 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 09:55, 9 June 2018 (UTC)

Siphesihle Ndlovu (born 30 September 1996) is a South African professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier Soccer League side Maritzburg United, and the South Africa national team.

Club career

Maritzburg United

Having previously been a ball-boy for the club, Ndlovu joined the youth academy of Maritzburg United from the now defunct Umgungundlovu Academy of Sport in Pietermaritzburg.[2][3] He excelled during his time in the club's academy where he played in the SAB League and earned the nickname Mbesuma, in reference to former PSL top goalscorer, Collins Mbesuma.[3][4] In 2016, he was promoted to senior side by coach Roger De Sa alongside Mlondi Dlamini and Tso Motjatji.[5] He made his debut for the club on 22 October 2016 when he came on as a substitute for Denis Weidlich in a penalty shootout loss to Kaizer Chiefs in the Nedbank Cup.[6] His league debut followed on 20 December in a 1–1 draw with Bidvest Wits and he went on to make 18 appearances across all competitions for the season.[2]

Ndlovu enjoyed a stellar campaign during the 2017–18 season in which he helped the club to an historic league finish.[7] In January 2018, he became the first-ever player from Maritzburg United to win the Absa Premiership Player of the Month award and two months later was rewarded with a new long-term contract with the club, ending speculation linking him with a transfer away.[8][9] He then made his 50th appearance for the club on 25 April when he started in a 2–2 draw with Mamelodi Sundowns.[10] The following month, he featured in the Nedbank Cup final where Maritzburg United were defeated 1–0 by Free State Stars.[11] The season culminated with Maritzburg United ending fourth in the league; their highest ever finish with their highest ever points tally.[12] On 21 May, following a campaign in which he played in all but three matches, scored five goals and was the most fouled player in the league, Ndlovu was nominated for a host of PSL awards including the awards for Midfielder of the Season, Young Player of the Season and Footballer of the Season.[7] He was also nominated for the Most Promising Player award for his performances in the Nedbank Cup.[13][14][15] The award ceremony was held eight days later during which he walked away with the Midfielder of the Season and Young Player of the Season awards.[16]

During the first month of the new season, Ndlovu picked up his first red card of his senior career when he received a direct dismissal for a studs-up challenge on Kaizer Chiefs defender Siyabonga Ngezana.[17]

International career

South Africa

In March 2018, Ndlovu was called up to the South African national team for the first time by coach Stuart Baxter for the inaugural Four Nations Invitational Tournament.[18] He made his debut on 21 March, coming on as a second-half substitute for Maphosa Modiba in a 1–1 (7–6) penalty shootout win over Angola.[19] He made his first start three days later as South Africa beat hosts Zambia 2–0 to claim the title.[20]

Later that year he was named in Baxter's squad for the 2018 COSAFA Cup. He started in South Africa's opening match in the competition, a penalty shootout loss to Madagascar.[21][22] He featured throughout the tournament as South Africa went on to lift the Plate title, equivalent of a fifth-placed finish.[23]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 17 August 2018[1]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup1 League Cup2 Continental3 Other4 Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Maritzburg United 2016–17 PSL 16010100000180
2017–18 27540000030345
2018–19 300000001040
Career total 46550100040565

1 Includes Nedbank Cup matches.
2 Includes Telkom Knockout matches.
4 Includes MTN 8 matches.

International

As of 8 June 2018[24]
National teamYearAppsGoals
South Africa 201850
Total50

Honours

Individual

References

  1. 1 2 "S. Ndlovu". Soccerway. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  2. 1 2 Ngidi, Njabulo (6 February 2018). "From ball-boy to golden boy: Maritzburg United's Ndlovu an inspiration to his city". Independent Online. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  3. 1 2 Madlala, Robin-Duke (24 February 2018). "Maritzburg United midfielder Siphesihle Ndlovu backed to win PSL Footballer Of the Year". Kick Off. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  4. ↑ "Maritzburg United wonderkid Siphesihle Ndlovu living out his dreams". Independent Online. 1 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  5. ↑ Said, Nick (12 July 2016). "Maritzburg United unveil 13 new players ahead of new PSL season". The Sowetan. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  6. ↑ "Kaizer Chiefs v Maritzburg Utd 0-0". Soccerway. 22 October 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  7. 1 2 "Siphesihle Ndlovu is aware the expectations have been raised at Maritzburg United". Kick Off. 21 July 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  8. 1 2 "Siphesihle Ndlovu honoured to make Maritzburg United history". Kick Off. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  9. ↑ "Hands Off, Chiefs & Co! - Maritzburg Starlet Pens New Deal". Soccer Laduma. 11 April 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  10. ↑ "Congratulations to 21-year old BafanaBafana midfielder Siphesihle Ndlvou who makes his 50th career club appearance for Maritzburg United this evening". Twitter. FenomenoZA. 25 April 2018. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  11. ↑ Strydom, Marc (19 May 2018). "Free State Stars crowned Nedbank Cup kings after win over Maritzburg". Times Live. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
  12. ↑ "Transfer Update As Maritzburg Gear Up". Soccer Laduma. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  13. ↑ "Analysing PSL Midfielder of the Season nominees Hlompho Kekana, Siphesihle Ndlovu and Musa Nyatama". Kick Off. 24 May 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  14. ↑ "PSL Reveal Absa Premiership Award Nominees!". Soccer Laduma. 21 May 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  15. ↑ "PSL Announce MTN8, Telkom And Nedbank Cup Nominees". Soccer Laduma. 21 May 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  16. 1 2 3 Ntloko, Mninawa (29 May 2018). "Sundowns' Percy Tau walks away with top honours at glittering PSL awards". Sowetan Live. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  17. ↑ "Absa Premiership match report Maritzburg United v Kaizer Chiefs 17 August 2018". Kick Off. 17 August 2018. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  18. ↑ Gumbi, Sibongiseni (14 March 2018). "Ndlovu delighted with Bafana call-up". The Citizen. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  19. ↑ "Four nations match report Bafana Bafana v Angola 21 March 2018". Kick Off. 21 March 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  20. ↑ "Four nations match report Bafana Bafana v Zambia 24 March 2018". Kick Off. 24 March 2018. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  21. ↑ "Baxter names Bafana COSAFA Cup squad". Sport 24. 22 May 2018. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
  22. ↑ Strydom, Marc (3 June 2018). "Bafana crash out of Cosafa Cup after defeat to Madagascar". Times Live. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
  23. ↑ Strydom, Marc (8 June 2018). "Bafana beat Botswana to lift Plate in Cosafa Cup". Times Live. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  24. ↑ "Ndlovu, Siphesihle". National Football Teams. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.