Mokwana: Al Hazem history-maker seeking to outshine compatriot Nkota

Prior to this season, never before had a South African laced up his boots in the Roshn Saudi League.

Players from all over the world had featured in the Saudi top flight prior to this season, from countries as large as Brazil and Germany, or as small as Sao Tome & Príncipe.

So, when Elias Mokwana and Mohau Nkota debuted for Al Hazem and Al Ettifaq respectively earlier this campaign, they made South Africa the latest nation to be represented in an increasingly cosmopolitan league.

This weekend, for the first time, the history-makers will square off when Al Hazem make the trek to Dammam in a crucial clash for both sides as they aim to turn around respective slow starts to the 2025-26 RSL.

نكوتا بابتسامته الرائعة: أظهرت للجماهير شخصيتي

انطلاقة صاروخية محليًا ودوليًا لموهبة فذة

While the South African internationals made their competition bow on the same day - the season opener on August 28 - technically it was Mokwana who debuted first by virtue of Al Hazem’s draw with Damac kicking off two hours before Al Ettifaq’s victory against Al Kholood.

In the latter, Nkota became the first South African to score in the RSL.

Etching his name into record books is nothing new for Mokwana, however. Before joining Al Hazem, the winger played for Tunisian giants Esperance Sportive de Tunis, and like in the RSL, had become the first South African to represent a club in that country.

It marked a meteoric rise for a player who, as recently as 2022, was playing semi-professionally for Platinum City Rovers in his native South Africa. Now, as he did only last week, Mokwana is sharing the pitch with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Joao Felix and Sadio Mane.

The move to Tunisia in August 2024 came after two seasons with Sekhukhune United, where Mokwana helped the relatively nascent club to impressive finishes of seventh and fourth in the South African Premiership.

For that reason, Mokwana’s manager at the time, German Peter Hyballa, was sad but proud when his employers allowed the talented wideman to leave.

"We worked a short time together but he's a wonderful player... a wonderful person,” Hyballa said. “But I wish him good luck in another country because he deserves this.

“And I hope he comes into the first 11 and maybe he can also do the next step in two, three years. Maybe he can even go to Europe, [because] he's a wonderful winger."

Mokwana may have spent only one season in the Tunisian capital, but he was a principal part in the club capturing a record-extending 34th domestic league title, as well as other trophies in the form of the Tunisian Cup and Super Cup.

Aged 26, Mokwana also featured at this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup - a tournament in which Al Hilal shone brightly for the RSL - where he competed against Chelsea, Flamengo and LAFC.

While a move to Europe appeared on the horizon, with clubs in Russia reportedly interested, Al Hazem pounced; they snared Mokwana on loan for this season as they look to cement their place in the RSL following promotion. Indeed, they sealed their return at the first attempt after relegation the previous season.

With former Tunisian national team manager Jalel Kadri appointed to take change of the Ar Rass outfit, it’s little wonder the winger who impressed in Tunisia appeared on the coach's radar.

Kadri would’ve been aware of the attributes Mokwana would bring to Al Hazem; he concluded the 2024-25 campaign with six goals and four assists from more than 30 appearances across all competitions.

While his start to life in Ar Rass has been a little slower, similar to Tunis where he failed to score in his first seven games, the quality Mokwana possesses means it surely won’t be long before he joins compatriot Nkota in finding the back of the net in the RSL.

That can’t come quickly enough for Al Hazem, who sit 14th with a solitary win to their name. Three points above the relegation zone - albeit with only six rounds gone - Kadri’s men could desperately do with the three points at Al Ettifaq on Friday to ease some of the pressure starting to build.

Perhaps, then, this represents the perfect time for Mokwana to step up - and come up trumps in the historic head-to-head of the RSL’s South African trailblazers.