This week's edition of My First turns into a revealing account from no less a former goalkeeper than Tshepo Motsoeneng, who left a mark during his days guarding the net for the likes of Free State Stars.
Born in Free State, Motsoeneng, these days known as a coach with a lucky charm for any promotion-chasing outfit, also played for AmaZulu FC, SuperSport United, and Santos.
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My First School:
"I started at Semomotela Primary School in 1987. I was nervous, just like any other kid on their first day, even though I was already eight years old."
My First Kiss:
"I had my first kiss when I was five years old. Growing up on a farm, we often played house, and I usually took on the role of the father."
My First Child:
"My first child, Lehlohonolo, was born on December 18, 2003, while I was still playing for Bloemfontein Young Tigers."
My First Soccer Boots:
"My first pair of soccer boots were the Jomo Sono King model, which my father bought for me in 1994 when I was 16 years old."
My First Red Card:
"I received my first red card in 2004 during a match against Vasco Da Gama at Princess Magogo Stadium. There was a confrontation between me and their striker, Marcelo... I can’t recall his full name (Editor's note: Marcelino Fransch).
"They delivered a low cross that our defenders failed to respond to, allowing Marcelo to score. In a hurry to restart the match, he grabbed the ball from the net.
"I was frustrated and told him I wouldn’t let that slide, and he said, 'You will never play in Cape Town!' I replied, 'You’ll see, I'm coming,' and eventually, I did play in Cape Town for Santos."
My First Own Goal:
"I’ve never actually scored an own goal. However, I remember a match during the MTN8 where a ball from Siyabonga Sangweni ricocheted off my shoulder, and a goal was awarded. I’m not sure if that was considered an own goal or not."
My First Goal:
"I scored my first goal in 2000 against Welkom Stars. It was from a free-kick taken in my half. The opposing goalkeeper had moved away from his goalposts, so I scored from my own half."
My First Individual Award:
"I won the Goalkeeper of the Season award while playing for the University of Free State in 2003, which was presented to me by Lucas Radebe.
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"Shortly after, I moved to AmaZulu FC."
My First Trophy With A Club:
"My first trophy came in 2003 when I won the SASSU Games."
My First Car:
"I bought my first car in 2005, a RunX Sport, which cost R178,000. I was making monthly payments, R4 800 a month."
