Nkaki a model of consistency

Defender Lebogang Nkaki stretched his run of successive league appearances for Polokwane City to 62 on Tuesday, as they won 1-0 away against Siwelele in the Betway Premiership, overtaking the mark set by Given Msimango three seasons ago.

It is the longest run of successive matches over the last 10 years in the Premier Soccer League by an outfield player although still well short of the 91 successive league matches that Ronwen Williams played at SuperSport United between 2018 and 2021.

Nkaki has not missed a single league game for Polokwane City since their promotin back to the top flight in 2023. 

The 32-year-old has now taken over as captain from his long standing defensive partner Bulelani Nikani, recently dropped from the starting line-up by coach Phuti Mohafe.

“Nkaki has been there from the start, he is the rock that brings stability in our team, and he brings leadership into the team,” the coach told supersport.com.

“He is solid and is composed on the ball, he’s a good passer of the ball and we can play out with him from the back. He can man mark also, so he’s our core in terms of defending at the back,” Mohafe added.

Defender Msimango’s run of consistency can at the end of his time at TS Galaxy and in his first season at Kaizer Chiefs. But he has struggled with injury over the last 12 months and seen little game time.

Williams’ run of 91 successive league matches started in February 2018, ironically against his current club Mamelodi Sundowns.

He was returning from a shoulder injury and played the last nine leagues games of the 2017-18 season, followed by two full seasons and then another 22 successive league games in the 2020-21 campaign before injury again.