Letsoalo – I Don’t Know What Happened In the Nedbank Cup Final

Victor Letsoalo has spoken for the first time about the incident at Sekhukhune United when he was adjudged to have handled the ball in the penalty area in the Nedbank Cup final against Orlando Pirates, saying it is something he can’t explain.   

Letsoalo, who was floored and initially holding his shin, appeared to have put his hand out towards the ball before Thembinkosi Lorch opportunistically passed the ball against his arm.

Referee Thando Ndzandzeka opted to give a penalty and Tapelo Xoki stepped up to score, in what was the equaliser to cancel out Sibusiso Vilakazi’s 12th-minute opener.

Then Pirates won the match in the 94th minute when their former striker Terrence Dzvukamanja stretched his leg in the air to score a winner to see the Soweto giants lift the Ke Yona Cup.

“I can’t explain it because it just happened,” Letsoalo, who has since moved to AmaZulu, replied when asked by iDiski Times.

He was then asked if he did it intentional, and whether it was a penalty. “I was kicked down so there was nothing I could have done, I can’t explain that incident,” he said.

“It happened and Pirates won. We came second and that is what happened.”

When asked if he was shocked by the decision of the referee to award the penalty, Letsoalo replied: “I was shocked that it happened.”        

That decision appeared to have worked against him at Sekhukhune who decided on a swap deal with AmaZulu with Rally Bwalya heading in the different direction.

Letsoalo, who scored 15 league goals in the 2021/22 season with Royal AM before the big money move to Sekhukhune, said he didn’t like to be played out wide by coach Brandon Truter last season, who preferred Chibuike Ohizu up top.

“I made it clear when the season was about to end,” replied Letsaolo to this publication when asked whether he has asked Usuthu coach Pablo Martin that he wants to be the top man.

“I spoke to Truter about it and it happened that it was his formation and he preferred me to be on the wing.

– Advertisement –

“So there was nothing I could have done and we discussed between me and him, but it happened the way it happened.”

Letsoalo added: “I’m human being and obviously when you are not scoring goals, you are going to be frustrated.

“But there was nothing I could have done because it was not only me on the field, even the guys they were doing well whenever they were played in positions, I just had to accept and move on.”

So far, Letsoalo has only featured for 71 minutes for his new club and he is yet to score