Pantev hopes Richards Bay striker Nqaba Xulu stays injury-free

Richards Bay coach Dimitar Pantev says he is keeping his fingers crossed that striker Nqaba Xulu stays free of injury, as the 23-year-old continues to be the club’s main source of goals, according to iDiski Times.

Xulu among the league’s leading scorers

Xulu leads Richards Bay’s scoring charts with five league goals. That puts him joint second in the league, level with Orlando Pirates’ Tshepang Moremi. Only AmaZulu’s Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya is ahead of them, with nine.

His tally rose to six in all competitions when he scored his side’s consolation goal in a 3-1 loss to Sekhukhune United in the last 16 of the Carling Knockout Cup in Polokwane. The result ended Richards Bay’s run in the cup.

Xulu has also been named in the Bafana Bafana preliminary squad for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Kenya, which is scheduled for this month.

What Pantev said

Speaking after the cup exit, Pantev said he had already spoken about Xulu before and was happy with the player’s attitude and ambition. He described him as having “really high quality” and said the striker could go further in the game.

“He can play on the higher stage,” Pantev said, adding that Xulu’s future looks very promising if he keeps up his current form.

The coach said Xulu’s finishing is what makes him valuable. In his words, he is “a very clinical top goal scorer” who converts most of the chances that fall to him. Pantev said that matters to a team that does not always create many openings, because Xulu can be relied on to score when he is in position.

“I cross fingers for him to be fit without injuries and to continue like that,” Pantev said.

What this means for fans

For supporters, the main thing to watch is how Xulu fares in the Bafana Bafana camp ahead of the Kenya qualifier, and whether his club form carries over to the national side. His scoring will also be followed in the race for the league’s top-scorer spot, where Ngwenya currently holds a clear lead.

This story is based on reporting by iDiski Times.