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Thembi Kgatlana

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Thembi Kgatlana
Kgatlana in 2018
Personal information
Full name Chrestinah Thembi Kgatlana
Date of birth (1996-05-02) 2 May 1996 (age 28)
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
1
 14 September 2017 Luveve Stadium, Bulawayo  Lesotho
3–0
3–0
 2017 Cosafa Women's Cup
2
 15 September 2017 Barbourfields Stadium, Bulawayo  Namibia
1–0
3–1
3
3–1
4
 24 September 2017 Barbourfields Stadium, Bulawayo  Zimbabwe
1–0
2–1
5
 2 March 2018 Tasos Markos Stadium, Paralimni, Cyprus  Hungary
1–0
1–0
 2018 Cyprus Cup
6
 18 November 2018 Cape Coast Sports Stadium, Cape Coast, Ghana  Nigeria
1–0
1–0
 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations
7
 21 November 2018  Equatorial Guinea
4–1
7–1
8
5–1
9
 24 November 2018 Accra Sports Stadium, Accra, Ghana  Zambia
1–0
1–1
10
 27 November 2018 Cape Coast Sports Stadium, Cape Coast, Ghana  Mali
2–0
11
 19 January 2019 Cape Town Stadium  Netherlands
1–2
1–2
 Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Challenge
12
 19 January 2019 Venue Athlítiko Kentro Zenon, Larnaca  Finland
2–2
2–2
 2019 Cyprus Women's Cup
13
 8 June 2019 Stade Océane, Le Havre, France  Spain
1–0
1–3
 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup Group B

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 19 July 2019
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
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
Individual

References

  1. ^ "South Africa – T. Kgatlana – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Women Soccerway". us.women.soccerway.com.
  2. ^ "Banyana star Thembi Kgatlana signs for Houston Dash". Independent Online (South Africa). 21 February 2018. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  3. ^ "T.KGATLANA". Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  4. ^ "Houston Dash waive Banyana duo Thembi Kgatlana and Linda Motlhalo". 6 February 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  5. ^ Dylan (23 February 2019). "Kgatlana signs for Chinese club". FourFourTwo. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  6. ^ "Chrestinah Thembi Kgatlana contratada". www.slbenfica.pt (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  7. ^ "Deram a volta com muita pinta". www.slbenfica.pt (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  8. ^ "Kgatlana rescues Eibar with maiden Spanish Iberdrola goal against Levante | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  9. ^ "Kgatlana the herione on full debut as Eibar stun Espanyol | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  10. ^ "Athletes – Famous Olympic Athletes, Medalists, Sports Heroes". 24 September 2018.
  11. ^ Sixaba, Philasande. "Banyana's Thembi Kgatlana named player of the tournament". ewn.co.za.
  12. ^ 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.
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