Lebogang Moloto

Lebogang Moloto

Moloto (left) coming off for Max Touloute on Riverhounds debut
Personal information
Full nameMatshidiso Lebogang Moloto
Date of birth27 December 1992
Place of birthPolokwane, South Africa
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing positionMidfielder
Club information
Current team
Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Number22
Youth career
Bidvest Wits
2009–2012Lindsey Wilson Blue Raiders
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2010–2013Des Moines Menace34(11)
2014United FC
2015–Pittsburgh Riverhounds4(0)
National team‡
South Africa U17
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19 April 2015.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 2 March 2015

Lebogang "Lebo" Moloto (born 27 December 1992 in Polokwane[1]) is a South African footballer who currently plays for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the USL.[2]

Career

Youth and college

Moloto played in the youth academy of South African Premier Division club Bidvest Wits[3] before moving to the United States to play college soccer at Lindsey Wilson College in 2009. Moloto was offered a scholarship after his coach at Lindsey Wilson saw him in an international youth tournament in Capetown at age 16.[4] Moloto went on to play for the Blue Raiders for four seasons, amassing 42 goals and 20 assists in 83 career matches. Moloto won multiple individual and club honors including being named an NAIA All-American each season and winning the NAIA Most Outstanding Offensive Player award as a freshman. The team also won two national titles with Moloto as a member.[1][2]

Semi-professional

While enrolled at Lindsey Wilson college, Moloto also played for the Des Moines Menace of the semi-professional Premier Development League.[2] Over three seasons with the club, he tallied 11 goals and six assists in 34 appearances.[5][6][7] Moloto also made multiple appearances in the U.S. Open Cup with the club, including a two-goal performance against the Milwaukee Bavarians on 15 May 2012 which saw them advance to the second round to play the Minnesota Stars.[8]

Professional

Moloto was selected by Seattle Sounders FC with the 54th pick in the 2013 MLS Supplemental Draft[2] but was ultimately not signed by the club after leaving camp to continue his schooling.[9] He was expected to rejoin the club in the future after completing his degree.[10] Originally, Moloto was expected to be a first or second round pick in the MLS SuperDraft but saw his stock fall going into the MLS Combine.[4] In 2014, he went on trial with South African Premier Division clubs Chippa United and University of Pretoria but was not signed. It was announced that a signing by Chippa was imminent but a fallout between Moloto's agent and the club's technical staff halted the move.[3]

On 2 March 2015, it was announced that Moloto was returning to the United States after signing a contract with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds for the 2015 USL season.[2] Prior to signing with Pittsburgh, Molota had a stint with United FC of the National First Division in his native South Africa.[11] Only days after signing for the club, Moloto scored the game winning goal of a 2-0 victory over the Western Illinois Leathernecks of Western Illinois University in the Riverhounds' first preseason match of 2015.[12] Moloto made his league debut for the Riverhounds on 28 March 2015 in the club's opening match of the 2015 season, a 5-2 victory over the Harrisburg City Islanders. He started the match for the club and provided an assist on Kevin Kerr's second goal before being subbed off for Max Touloute in the 77th minute.[13]

International

Moloto has represented South Africa at the Under-17 level,[2] including being named to the squad for a friendly match against Zimbabwe Under-17 in June 2008 in preparation for the 2009 African U-17 Championship.[14] In 2007, South Africa reached the final of the 2007 COSAFA Youth Championship after Moloto scored the only goal of a 1-0 victory over Malawi Under-17 in the semi-finals.[15]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Lindsey Wilson Profile". Lindsey Wilson College. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "Riverhounds Sign Moloto for 2015 USL Season". Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Moloto To Revive Career With AmaTuks?". Soccer Laduma. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Ruiz, Don. "A little time with Supplemental picks Lebogang Moloto, and (the Levesque-like) Jennings Rex". The News Tribune. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  5. ↑ "2010 Stats". Premier Development League. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  6. ↑ "2011 Stats". Premier Development League. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  7. ↑ "2012 Stats". Premier Development League. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  8. ↑ "Recapping the 2012 Menace PDL Season". Des Moines Menace. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  9. ↑ Clark, Dave. "Scouting Remaining Trialists". Sounder at Heart. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  10. ↑ Mayers, Joshua. "One week to go until Sounders FC’s opener: Who is signed? Who isn’t?". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  11. ↑ "2015 Riverhounds Roster". USL. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  12. ↑ "Hounds Start Pre-Season With Win Over Western Illinois". Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  13. ↑ "Pittsburgh vs. Harrisburg". USL. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
  14. ↑ "Fourth Sono makes a name for himself". Kickoff.com. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  15. ↑ "ZIMBABWE U17 END ZAMBIA U17 COSAFA JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP DREAMS.". Lusaka Times. Retrieved 3 March 2015.

External links