Thembi Kgatlana
![]() Kgatlana in 2018 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Chrestinah Thembi Kgatlana | ||
Date of birth | 2 May 1996 | ||
Place of birth | South Africa | ||
Height | 1.56 m (5 ft 1 in) | ||
Position(s) | Forward | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | SD Eibar | ||
Number | 18 | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
University of the Western Cape | |||
2018 | Houston Dash | 16 | (2) |
2019 | Beijing BG Phoenix | 10 | (6) |
2020 | SL Benfica | 2 | (3) |
2020– | SD Eibar | 13 | (5) |
International career | |||
2016– | South Africa | 55 | (17) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 November 2020 |
Chrestinah Thembi Kgatlana (born 2 May 1996), known as Thembi Kgatlana, is a South African footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish Primera División club SD Eibar and the South Africa women's national team.[1]
Club career
Houston Dash
In February 2018, Kgatlana moved to the United States to join the Houston Dash in the National Women's Soccer League. She was brought in by her former national team coach Vera Pauw. Kgatlana joined her South African teammates Janine van Wyk and Linda Motlhalo in Houston.[2] Kgatlana made 16 appearances with Houston and she scored 2 goals.[3]
Owing to her accepting a move overseas, Kgatlana was waived by the Houston Dash on 6 February 2019.[4]
Beijing BG Phoenix
On 22 February 2019, Kgatlana was announced as having signed with Beijing BG Phoenix F.C. in the Chinese Women's Super League on a one-year deal. She was joined by South African teammate Linda Motlhalo who also made the move from Houston to China.[5]
Kgatlana scored six league goals in 10 appearances during the 2019 Chinese Women's Super League campaign, helping her Beijing BG Phoenix side to a fifth-place finish.
SL Benfica
On 27 January 2020 she signed with SL Benfica.[6] On 1 February 2020 she made her debut with the club being subbed on in a 3–1 win over Braga in Taça da Liga Feminina.[7]
Prior to their cancellation owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kgatlana helped Benfica to the final of both Portuguese Cup and Taca da Liga Femenina competitions as well as the top of the league table. The result was enough to qualify the club for the UEFA Women's Champions League for the first time in their history.
SD Eibar
Kgatlana's spell at Benfica came to an early end owing to complications arising from the COVID-19 crisis, with a salary cap introduced across Portuguese women's football. On 27 July 2020, it was announced that she had joined newly promoted Spanish Primera Division side SD Eibar on a one-year contract.[citation needed] Kgatlana made her debut on 4 October 2020 in a 1–0 victory over Real Betis, before opening her goalscoring account the following week in a 2–2 draw against Levante.[8]
On 31 October 2020, Kgatlana scored her second goal for the club on her first start in a 1–0 victory over Espanyol, however she was forced off with the game still in the first half due to a minor injury.[9] Upon her return from injury, she immediately returned to goalscoring form with a stunning strike in a 3–1 defeat to Real Madrid having once again entered from the substitutes bench.
International career
Kgatlana represented her country at the 2016 Summer Olympics[10] and the 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations, where she won the Player of the Tournament and was the highest goal scorer.[11] She also represented South Africa at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France, where she scored her country's first goal ever in the tournament.
International goals
Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first
No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
14 September 2017 | Luveve Stadium, Bulawayo | ![]() |
2017 Cosafa Women's Cup | |||
15 September 2017 | Barbourfields Stadium, Bulawayo | ![]() |
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24 September 2017 | Barbourfields Stadium, Bulawayo | ![]() |
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2 March 2018 | Tasos Markos Stadium, Paralimni, Cyprus | ![]() |
2018 Cyprus Cup | |||
18 November 2018 | Cape Coast Sports Stadium, Cape Coast, Ghana | ![]() |
2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations | |||
21 November 2018 | ![]() |
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24 November 2018 | Accra Sports Stadium, Accra, Ghana | ![]() |
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27 November 2018 | Cape Coast Sports Stadium, Cape Coast, Ghana | ![]() |
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19 January 2019 | Cape Town Stadium | ![]() |
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Challenge | |||
19 January 2019 | Venue Athlítiko Kentro Zenon, Larnaca | ![]() |
2019 Cyprus Women's Cup | |||
8 June 2019 | Stade Océane, Le Havre, France | ![]() |
2019 FIFA Women's World Cup Group B |
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 19 July 2019
Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Houston Dash | 2018 | NWSL | 2 (14) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 (14) | 2 |
Beijing BG Phoenix | 2019 | Chinese Women's Super League | 10 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 9 |
SL Benfica | 2019–20 | Campeonato Nacional Feminino | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
SD Eibar | 2020–21 | Primera Division Feminina | 13 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 5 |
Career total | 40 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 19 |
Honours
- International
- 2018 CAF Africa Women Cup of Nations: Runner-Up
- Individual
- CAF Africa Women Cup of Nations Best Player: 2018
- CAF Africa Women Cup of Nations Top Scorer: 2018
- CAF African Women's Footballer of the Year 2018 [12]
- CAF African Women's Goal of the Year: 2018
- Cyprus Cup Best player 2018
- Cosafa Women's Championship Player of the Tournament: 2017
References
- ^ "South Africa – T. Kgatlana – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Women Soccerway". us.women.soccerway.com.
- ^ "Banyana star Thembi Kgatlana signs for Houston Dash". Independent Online (South Africa). 21 February 2018. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
- ^ "T.KGATLANA". Retrieved 19 March 2019.
- ^ "Houston Dash waive Banyana duo Thembi Kgatlana and Linda Motlhalo". 6 February 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
- ^ Dylan (23 February 2019). "Kgatlana signs for Chinese club". FourFourTwo. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
- ^ "Chrestinah Thembi Kgatlana contratada". www.slbenfica.pt (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2 February 2020.
- ^ "Deram a volta com muita pinta". www.slbenfica.pt (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2 February 2020.
- ^ "Kgatlana rescues Eibar with maiden Spanish Iberdrola goal against Levante | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
- ^ "Kgatlana the herione on full debut as Eibar stun Espanyol | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
- ^ "Athletes – Famous Olympic Athletes, Medalists, Sports Heroes". 24 September 2018.
- ^ Sixaba, Philasande. "Banyana's Thembi Kgatlana named player of the tournament". ewn.co.za.
- ^ Anwankwo, Akan (8 January 2019). "South Africa's Kgatlana clinches Africa Women Player of the Year for 2018". Legit.ng – Nigeria news. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
External links
- Thembi Kgatlana at Soccerway
- Profile at Confederation of African Football (CAF)
- 1996 births
- Living people
- South African women's soccer players
- Footballers at the 2016 Summer Olympics
- South Africa women's international soccer players
- Olympic soccer players of South Africa
- South African soccer players
- National Women's Soccer League players
- Houston Dash players
- Women's association football forwards
- South African expatriate sportspeople in the United States
- Expatriate women's soccer players in the United States
- 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup players
- Expatriate women's footballers in China
- Campeonato Nacional de Futebol Feminino players
- S.L. Benfica (women) footballers
- Expatriate women's footballers in Portugal