Snl24 | Engen Watch: ‘She Told Me She Was Watching Videos Of Benni!’

Former Chippa United coach Siyabulela Gwambi has heaped praise on a local talent in the Eastern Cape following her performances at the 2024 Engen Knockout Challenge. 

PLAYER PROFILE

Name: Edinako Gqoboka 

Club: Ayakha Stars

Position: Winger 

Age: 15

Preferred foot: Right 

Player traits: Shows good composure, technically sound 

SCOUT REPORT

Now working for SAFA, ex-Chippa United coach Gwambi attended the Engen Knockout Challenge in the Eastern Cape this past weekend, and was particularly impressed with a young talented girl by the name of Edinako Gqoboka. Finishing as the top goalscorer in the tournament without her team even making it to the knockout round, the 15-year-old caught the eye of those in attendance. Gwambi tells Soccer Laduma the talented winger is a student of the game, having grown up watching videos of legendary South African attacker Benni McCarthy. 

Can you tell us about Gqoboka? 

She’s from Mthatha. I believe she scored about seven or eight goals, if I’m not mistaken. Unfortunately, her team didn’t qualify for the knockouts, but she is very good potentially. We were looking at age. She’s only 15 playing in the Sasol League, which is a provincial league. We are talking about a schoolgirl playing for a provincial league, who can score so many goals. She is very short, but she can run. I was making a joke, I was saying that she’s closer to a Mercedes-Benz and a VW, a Golf 7. That’s what I was making a joke about, you know, during the weekend… ha ha! 

So that’s a girl that’s been profiled. She can also play as a winger, on the right. She’s right-footed. She was wearing No. 17. When I asked her about this, “why are you wearing such a big number?”, she said: “I used to watch Benni McCarthy on the phone.” Oh, I was like, “Wow!” You know, you’ve got girls that can admire people that they are watching so much.

What stood out about her? 

Her good technique. If I can get to the coaching terms, three goals that I was watching were through 1v1s, where she took on a defender and scored. Except that one goal that day, she scored through toe-poking, but they all count. Also, she’s always busy around the box. 

Which professional footballer in South Africa or abroad does she play like?

That’s definitely a Portia Modise type of style. I don’t think anybody can be compared to her, but Portia Modise, definitely. 

And what about her personality?

Very composed. She doesn’t talk too much because I walked around just to check the mood, you know, when they were sitting down, when the coaches were giving instructions, just without any interference, just to check. (She’s) very composed. Good listener.