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Cape Town - Orlando Pirates midfielder Mpho Makola says it comes as an honour to him to have scored in both of his last two appearances for Bafana Bafana at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto.
The 30-year-old skillful midfielder made his national team debut on September 8, last year by scoring a stunning strike when Bafana Bafana beat Senegal 1-0 at Orlando Stadium.
The Bucs midfield man then scored another winner for Bafana in a 1-0 victory over Egypt 1-0 in the Nelson Mandela Challenge international friendly at the same venue on 6 September.
"Having made my Bafana Bafana debut at the age of 29, of course it came as an honour to me scoring my first goal in my national team debut against formidable Senegal [national] team. And also scoring against another African giant, Egypt, in the same Mandela Challenge and at the same venue of Orlando Stadium, comes as an honour and motivational factor indeed to me," Makola told Vodacom Soccer.
"Having scored twice in Bafana Bafana colours in international friendlies, I'm now longing to score my first goal in an official international tournament like World Cup qualifier or Afcon qualifier. And also earning more national team caps," says Makola, who hopes to be featured in the Bafana Bafana clash with Burkina Faso in a 2018 World Cup qualifier on 8 October.
With the Buccaneers having enjoyed a good start in this season's Absa Premiership campaign with two consecutive wins so far, Makola makes no bones about his team's ambitions this season.
"We may have been disappointed with our early exit in the lucrative MTN 8, but our two consecutive League wins so far have come as a big boost in our title-challenge ambitions in this season," he added.
"Well, it may be the early stages of the season as yet, but with the squad we have assembled this season, I'm really optimistic that we will really challenge for honours this season."
Bucs will resume their Absa Premiership campaign when they host Cape Town City next Tuesday at Orlando Stadium.
Kick-off is at 19:30.
