Abdeslam Ouaddou backs Relebohile Mofokeng but calls for consistency

Mofokeng grabbed the headlines with the first hat-trick of his senior career as Pirates cruised to a 6-0 victory over TS Galaxy, strengthening their position at the top of the Betway Premiership standings.

The 19-year-old attacker was in inspired form, earning Man of the Match honours while taking his league tally to seven goals. His recent resurgence has seen him register seven goal contributions in his last eight appearances, underlining his growing influence in the team.

While Ouaddou welcomed the performance, he was quick to stress that the milestone should serve as motivation rather than satisfaction.

"It's important for him and for the team," said Ouaddou as quoted by KickOff.

"A young player scoring a hat-trick gains confidence and belief, and it shows he can perform at a high level."

However, the Pirates mentor made it clear that the challenge now is consistency.

"These goals must show him that it's not the end. He has to keep working and maybe score more hat-tricks in the future," he added.

Pirates remain narrowly ahead of Mamelodi Sundowns in the title race, with fewer than 10 matches left to play, placing added importance on players like Mofokeng maintaining top form.