adminJOHANNESBURG. — Winning the league title with South Africa’s Premiership soccer leaders Mamelodi Sundowns is Khama Billiat’s first objective before the man most are tipping as the favourite to win the Premier Soccer League’s player of the season prize can think of personal awards.
Billiat has had easily his best season. The talented Zimbabwean forward, who played a key role in Ajax Cape Town finishing runners-up when he was 21 in 2011-12, has remained injury-free and produced fine, penetrative performances game in and game out, scoring nine goals from 19 league starts.
“I would be grateful if I can win (a personal award) but I think there is still a lot of work to be done, scoring goals and making sure the team win the league,” Billiat said.
“That’s my main objective and I would be so happy if it happened.”
Downs have already won the Telkom Knock-out this season. The “CBD” frontline partnership of Colombian striker Leonardo Castro, Billiat and Keagan Dolly was instrumental in a dominant victory against Kaizer Chiefs in the final.
The Brazilians went to the quarter-finals of the Nedbank Cup with a 3-1 victory against Mbombela United in Atteridgeville, Pretoria last Saturday night, and are on course for a treble in 2015-16.
Billiat is on the verge of a rare achievement for his national team too. Zimbabwe, on eight points in Group L, need one win from their last two games against Malawi at home or Guinea away to reach the 2017 African Cup of Nations finals.
Billiat and former Kaizer Chiefs striker Knowledge Musona have scored two goals apiece, surrounded by such quality as Bidvest Wits left-back Onismor Bhasera, Chiefs defensive midfielder Willard Katsande, Vitesse Arnhem’s Marvelous Nakamba and China-based Nyasha Mushekwi.
“It’s a privilege to play with such footballers around you, playing the way you enjoy playing football. It makes it easy to make runs and create spaces, knowing you have trust in your teammates,” Billiat said.
There’s been widespread speculation over whether Billiat will commit to Downs with his contract ending at the end of the season.
“I just want to achieve as much as I can this season, then see how it is at the end of the season, and then we can talk,” Billiat said.
“I can only play overseas if I’m doing well at Sundowns. If I don’t even reach my full potential then I don’t have a chance.” On Sunday Downs meet AS Vita in Kinshasa for the CAF Champions League.
Online Reporter