I don't enjoy scoring the goals I score‚ says Sundowns' Hlompho Kekana

It’s not often that you’ll hear a footballer talk about scoring from within his own half as being touched with sadness in thoughts for the man it was scored against.

Hlompho Kekana last week notched a second spectacular goal from within his half to his bedpost with his audacious 55-metre lob for Mamelodi Sundowns’ 13th-minute second‚ after scoring the first too‚ in the Brazilians' 3-1 league win against Orlando Pirates.

Remarkably‚ for Downs’ captain and defensive midfielder extraordinaire‚ it was a second such career goal‚ having scored from his own half too in Bafana Bafana’s 2-2 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying draw in Limbe in March 2016.

Orlando Stadium‚ too‚ has been a happy hunting ground for Kekana‚ where he scored another memorable long-range scorcher past the late Pirates keeper Senzo Meyiwa in 2014.

Yet‚ asked about his two stunners at Orlando‚ Kekana resisted crowing about his own ability and genius a la Zlatan Irbrahimovic‚ and instead showed sympathy for the keepers that had been scored against.

Wednesday’s double strike was past Kekana’s old Downs teammate‚ Pirates keeper Wayne Sandilands.

“The goals that I score at Orlando‚ they look good on videos.

"For me it was good that we won the match‚ but I don’t enjoy them because I score against people who are close to my heart‚” Kekana said.

“Remember the late Senzo was close to my heart. Wayne‚ also‚ is close to my heart.

“He was our church pastor at Mamelodi Sundowns. So for me‚ it’s a very difficult thing to do to score against Wayne.

“But we have to do a job. You can’t personalise it. We have to do a job‚ and it’s done.

“I’m happy we could win the match with that goal. And who cares if it’s a fluke. We won the match this time round.

“I was excited at the three points. It has been long since we won and we should be happy as a team.”

Downs’ win against Pirates ended a rare three-match losing run for the now ex-African champions.

Very few footballers have ever scored twice in their careers from their own half. Kekana and David Beckham‚ for Manchester United against Wimbledon and LA Galaxy against Kansas City Wizards‚ are two that are known of.