Thabo Matlaba

Thabo Matlaba

Personal information
Full name	Thabo Matlaba
Date of birth	13 December 1987
Place of birth	Tembisa, South Africa
Height	1.69 m (5 ft 6 ^1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Left-back
Club information
Current team	Orlando Pirates
Number	8
Youth career
	Leicester City (South Africa)
	Mighty Tigers
	M Tigers
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2010–2011	Free State Stars	33	(3)
2012–	Orlando Pirates	96	(6)
National team^‡
2011–	South Africa	20	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 3 April 2016. ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 3 April 2016

Thabo "Festival" Matlaba (born 13 December 1987 in Tembisa, Gauteng) is a South African football (soccer) defender for Premier Soccer League club Orlando Pirates. He is known for his long range shots with both his feet. Although he plays mostly as a left back, Matlaba is naturally right-footed.

International career

He made his debut for South Africa on 14 May 2011 versus Tanzania in an international friendly.^[1]

Matlaba scored his first international goal with a 40-yard (37 m) drive in a World Cup qualifier against the Central African Republic on 23 March 2013.^[2][3]

International goals

Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first.^[4]

Goal	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	23 March 2013	Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa	Central African Republic	1–0	2–0	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification

References

1. "Bafana defeat Taifa Stars". Supersport. 14 May 2011. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
2. Eslick, Daniel (25 March 2013). "South Africa Player of the Week: Thabo Matlaba". Goal.com. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
3. "Thabo Matlaba". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
4. "T. Matlaba". Soccerway. Retrieved 29 November 2016.

External links

• Career history at National Football Teams