“I Was A Bit Scared”: Mofokeng Says On His Decisive Penalty vs Ex-Bayern And Inter Goalie
Relebohile Mofokeng expressed his delight after winning his first trophy with Union Saint-Gilloise, saying the confidence the club showed in him made lifting the Belgian Super Cup even more special.
The Bafana Bafana attacker enjoyed a dream start to life in Belgium, playing a decisive role in Union Saint-Gilloise’s triumph on Friday. It was the club’s first trophy of the 2026/27 season and Mofokeng’s first piece of silverware since joining from Orlando Pirates during the pre-season.
Mofokeng started the match on the bench before being introduced shortly after the hour mark with his side trailing 1-0. Club Brugge had taken the lead in the 49th minute through Nicolo Tresoldi, leaving Union Saint-Gilloise with plenty to do.
The hosts eventually found a way back into the contest when Kevin Mac Allister equalised in the 77th minute, forcing the match into a penalty shootout after neither side could find a winner.
Despite making his first official appearance for the Belgian club, Mofokeng showed remarkable composure when he stepped up to take Union Saint-Gilloise’s fifth penalty. The South African attacker confidently fired his spot-kick into the top corner to seal a 5-4 shootout victory and secure the Belgian Super Cup.
Reflecting on the memorable occasion, Mofokeng admitted that winning his first trophy with the club meant a great deal to him, especially after the warm welcome he had received since his arrival.
“I’m happy because I’ve won my first trophy here,” he said.
“I’m very excited. Everyone welcomed me well, and they were there to help me and boost my confidence.
“That’s why I took the penalty. The coach came to us and told us who would take the penalties. He had seen me taking penalties in training, so he had confidence in me.
“Scoring in my first official game has also boosted my confidence. Right now, my confidence is high, and we just have to keep going. I think my teammates are the best.
“That’s why we won this trophy. We are a family, and that’s the reason I’m happy.”
The 21-year-old also revealed that he had already decided where he would place his decisive spot-kick, although he admitted to feeling nervous as he stood over the ball.
“Yes, I already knew I was going for the top corner,” he added.
“When I placed the ball down, I was a bit scared because he’s a big goalkeeper [Yann Sommer], and he used to play for a very big team.
“But in moments like that, you just need confidence. I stood there with confidence, took the penalty with confidence, and that’s why I scored.”
Having already lifted silverware in his first official appearance for Union Saint-Gilloise, Mofokeng and his teammates will now turn their attention to the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round, where they will face Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt on Tuesday as they look to continue their impressive start to the new campaign.
