Zakhele Lepasa
{{Short description|South African soccer player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Zakhele Lepasa
| image =
| fullname = Zakhele Lerato Lepasa{{NFT player|74434|access-date=11 June 2023}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|3|27|df=y}}
| birth_place = Soweto, South Africa
| position = Centre forward
| currentclub = Orlando Pirates
| clubnumber = 9
| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2018
| youthclubs1 = Orlando Pirates
| years1 = 2018–
| clubs1 = Orlando Pirates
| caps1 = 43
| goals1 = 6
| years2 = 2018–2019
| clubs2 = → Stellenbosch (loan)
| caps2 = 4
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2019
| clubs3 = → TS Galaxy (loan)
| caps3 = 13
| goals3 = 7
| years4 = 2023
| clubs4 = → SuperSport United (loan)
| caps4 = 9
| goals4 = 3
| nationalyears1 = 2019–
| nationalteam1 = South Africa
| nationalcaps1 = 7
| nationalgoals1 = 3
| club-update = 30 June 2024
| nationalteam-update = 9 July 2023
| years5 =
| clubs5 =
| caps5 =
| goals5 = 5
}}
Zakhele Lerato Lepasa (born 27 March 1997) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a centre forward for South African Premier Division side Orlando Pirates and the South Africa national football team.
Club career
Born in Soweto,{{Cite web|url=https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/sport/soccer/2019-05-29-rising-star-zakhele-lepasa-enjoying-his-new-found-fame/|title=Rising star Zakhele Lepasa enjoying his new-found fame|website=SowetanLIVE}} Lepasa started his career at Orlando Pirates.{{Cite web|url=https://www.goal.com/en-za/news/stellenbosch-fc-snap-up-orlando-pirates-striker-lerato/10pltwru9yqq81l24wkym8rnne|title=Stellenbosch FC snap up Orlando Pirates striker Lerato Lepasa | Goal.com|website=www.goal.com}} In August 2018, Lepasa joined Stellenbosch on a season-long loan. However, after 4 league appearances for Stellenbosch,{{soccerway|zakhele-lepasa/560651|accessdate=11 June 2023}} he switched to TS Galaxy on loan in February 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.soccerladuma.co.za/news/articles/local/categories/south-africa/orlando-pirates-send-youngster-on-loan/509573|title=Orlando Pirates Send Youngster On Loan|date=4 February 2019|website=Soccer Laduma}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.goal.com/en-za/news/how-ts-galaxy-boss-tim-sukazi-saved-orlando-pirates-striker/m84r2zyz4iyg1ks9easuyvr23|title=Tim Sukazi: Zakhele Lepasa was suppose to go to ABC Motsepe | Goal.com|website=www.goal.com}} He scored 9 goals in 15 matches for TS Galaxy in all competitions, including scoring the only goal of the 2019 Nedbank Cup Final against Kaizer Chiefs from the penalty spot, making TS Galaxy the first side from outside South Africa's top tier to win the competition.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/soccer/psl-south-africa/zakhele-lepasa-penalty-ts-galaxy-vs-kaizer-chiefs-nedbank-cup-video/|title=The Zakhele Lepasa penalty that won TS Galaxy the cup vs Kaizer Chiefs [video]|date=18 May 2019}} After 4 goals in 4 matches in the Nedbank Cup, he was awarded the 'Player of the Tournament' award as well as being the top scorer in the competition.{{Cite web|url=https://www.kickoff.com/news/articles/local/categories/psl-transfer-news/orlando-pirates-coach-micho-takes-zakhel/590935|title=Orlando Pirates coach Micho takes Zakhele Lepasa and Augustine Mahlonoko to Zambia for pre-season|date=11 July 2018|website=Kick Off}}
Lepasa made his debut for Orlando Pirates on 14 September 2019 as a substitute in a 2–1 win over Chippa United.{{Cite web|url=https://www.kickoff.com/news/articles/south-africa-news/categories/news/premiership/how-orlando-pirates-paid-their-school-fees/663466|title=How Orlando Pirates paid their school fees|date=17 September 2019|website=Kick Off}}
International career
Lepasa made his international debut on 2 June 2019 in a 2–2 draw with Botswana in the 2019 COSAFA Cup, with Lepasa scoring in the penalty shoot-out as South Africa lost 5–4.{{Cite web|url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/soccer/2019-06-02-botswana-win-shootout-to-dump-bafana-bafana-out-of-cosafa-cup/|title=Botswana win shootout to dump Bafana Bafana out of Cosafa Cup|website=TimesLIVE}} He also scored 1 goal in Bafana Bafana 2-1 win over Morocco, 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification, 17 June 2023.{{Cite web |last=Sihle|first=Ndebele |title=Bafana win over Morocco vindicates Broos – Buckley |url=https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/sport/soccer/2023-06-21-bafana-win-over-morocco-vindicates-broos--buckley/ |access-date=2023-06-22 |website=SowetanLIVE |language=en-ZA}}{{Cite web |last=Sihle|first=Ndebele |title=Bafana hero Lepasa urged to bide his time at club level |url=https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/sport/soccer/2023-06-20-bafana-hero-lepasa-urged-to-bide-his-time-at-club-level/ |access-date=2023-06-22 |website=SowetanLIVE |language=en-ZA}}
International goals
| class="wikitable" | ||||||
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 20 November 2022 | Mbombela Stadium, Mbombela, South Africa | {{fb|ANG}} | align=center|1–1 | align=center| 1–1 | Friendly |
| 2. | 28 March 2023 | Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex, Monrovia, Liberia | {{fb|LBR}} | align=center|1–0 | align=center| 2–1 | rowspan=2| 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 3. | 17 June 2023 | FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa | {{fb|MAR}} | align=center|2–0 | align=center| 2–1 |
Honours
Orlando Pirates
- Carling Black Label Cup: 2019
- MTN 8: 2020, 2022, 2023
- Nedbank Cup: 2019, 2023, 2024
- Caf Confederations Cup: runners-up 2022
South Africa
- Africa Cup of Nations third place: 2023{{Cite web |last=Edwards |first=Piers |date=10 February 2024 |title=South Africa 0–0 DR Congo |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/68190249 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240212015031/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/68190249 |archive-date=12 February 2024 |access-date=12 February 2024 |website=BBC Sport |publisher=}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{WorldFootball.net|zakhele-lepasa}}
{{Orlando Pirates F.C. squad}}
{{South Africa squad 2023 Africa Cup of Nations}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lepasa, Zakhele}}
Category:South African men's soccer players
Category:Soccer players from Soweto
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Orlando Pirates F.C. players
Category:Stellenbosch F.C. players
Category:TS Galaxy F.C. players
Category:SuperSport United F.C. players
Category:South African Premier Division players
Category:National First Division players
Category:South Africa men's international soccer players