Gabadinho Mhango of Orlando Pirates celebrating one of his 3 goals during the Absa Premiership 2019/20 game between Polokwane City and Orlando Pirates at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane,Limpopo the on 07 January 2020 © Kabelo Leputu/BackpagePix
Gabadinho Mhango stunner named best goal of January
On his way to a hat-trick, the Orlando Pirates striker opened the scoring with a complete stunner.
Gabadinho Mhango of Orlando Pirates celebrating one of his 3 goals during the Absa Premiership 2019/20 game between Polokwane City and Orlando Pirates at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane,Limpopo the on 07 January 2020 © Kabelo Leputu/BackpagePix
Gabadinho Mhango found the net a few times in January for Orlando Pirates, but his first goal against Polokwane City was named the best of the net.
In his maiden season for his new side, the Malawian international is the front-runner for the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot, after racinig to 14 league goals in 19 matches.
Mhango scoops Goal of the Month award
What could, perhaps, be termed as his finest moment as an Orlando Pirates player, the 27-year-old notched up a hat-trick during what remains the club’s biggest victory, in terms of winning margin this season.
Mhango netted a hat-trick away to Rise and Shine at Peter Mokaba Stadium in a 4-1 victory earlier in the year, and the opening goal proved to be something special.
Receiving the ball out wide at the edge of the box, the striker cut inside the defence, and unleashed a stunner with his right foot to open the scoring – and the floodlights – for the Soweto Giants.
His effort against the Premiership strugglers was rewarded by the League, as it was named the January Goal of the Month on Tuesday.
☠ Congratulations to the red hot
— Orlando Pirates FC (@orlandopirates) February 25, 2020
?@gabadinhoFlames ? who has been crowned with the January #AbsaPrem Goal of the Month for this scorcher fired against @polokwane_city ?????
⚫⚪?⭐#OnceAlways pic.twitter.com/IuDIPCOvCE
Fruitful month for Orlando Pirates
The award is the third in January for Orlando Pirates, who finished the month unbeaten.
Mhango competes a brace of accolades, having been named the league’s player of the month after his six goals in five appearances in the month saw Pirates to the 12 points that propelled them up to second place in the league standings.
Also getting in among the awards was coach Josef Zinnbauer, who scooped the Coach of the Month award alongside the striker.
This was after guiding the Buccaneers to an unbeaten January, with the only blemish in his record since taking over in mid-December the penalty shootout loss to Bidvest Wits in the Nedbank Cup.
Having slipped down to third after defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns collected a crucial three points, they now have a chance to close in on their table-topping rivals over the weekend.
Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates are separated by six points going into the business end of the season, and meet again on Saturday in another edition of the Soweto Derby at FNB Stadium.
Kick-off is at 15:30 (SAST).
