Kamogelo Sebelebele appeared to be Orlando Pirates’ best signing of the season during the opening five games.
The speedy winger, who can also play as a right-back, made a remarkable start to his career with the Buccaneers, scoring three goals in his first five matches for the Soweto team.
He played a crucial role in helping Pirates retain the MTN8 trophy, with his goals against Mamelodi Sundowns in both legs of the MTN8 semi-finals making him an instant fan favourite.
His pace, resilience, and eye for goal have established him as a starter in Abdeslam Ouddou’s team. Sebelebele’s impressive performance at Pirates also caught the attention of Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos, leading to several appearances for the national team during their FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Why has Sebelebele’s form dropped in recent matches?
Before joining Pirates, he played for TS Galaxy, where he scored four goals and provided two assists in his final season with the team.
Although he started well with the Buccaneers, either as a right-back or right winger, his pace and work ethic once troubled opponents. Since winning the MTN8 in mid-September, the 23-year-old attacker has struggled to maintain his high level of performance.
He has often failed to make key passes or create chances for his teammates and has not added to his goal tally. Some fans believe defenders have figured him out, while others feel he has lost some of his drive since winning the trophy.
With Tshepang Moremi and Oswin Appollis showing better form, it seems likely that the Sebelebele will start more games from the bench in the coming matches. He did not impress during the Buccaneers’ 3-0 defeat to St. Lupopo in the CAF Champions League.
It remains to be seen if Kamogelo Sebelebele can rediscover the form that once made him one of the most feared right-backs in the country, even if it was just for a short period.