Philadelphia Union's South African defender Olwethu Makhanya has been praised for not being intimidated by the Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi during a tussle in their Major League Soccer match.
A clip of Makhanya and Messi getting physical during the match has gone viral on social media. The two players are seen jostling for position before a throw-in, with Messi backing into the South African defender before pushing him back.
However, the 20-year-old Makhanya stood his ground before bundling Messi over. The referee awarded a free kick to Inter Miami, with Makhanya remonstrating before telling Messi to get to his feet.
Both players came on as second-half substitutes during Saturday's match. Messi returned to action for Inter Miami after his injury layoff and scored just two minutes after entering the fray.
Inter Miami ended up beating former Bafana Bafana defender Bradley Carnell’s Philadelphia Union 2-1.
@brandotok Don’t mess with the 🐐 #messi #crashout #intermiami #Soccer #futbol ♬ Magie - Kemal ✰
Messi had missed Argentina's World Cup qualifiers in South America during the recent international window after picking up an adductor strain in Inter Miami's most recent Major League Soccer game, a 2-1 win at Atlanta on March 16.
Unbeaten Inter Miami are top of the Eastern Conference with four wins from their opening five games of the season.
Makhanya moved to Philadelphia Union in the MLS in July 2023 as a 19-year-old following a breakout season in the Betway Premiership with Stellenbosch FC.
After a few matches with Philadelphia Union’s reserve team, Makhanya has been a regular in their MLS line-up, impressing with his composure and ability on the ball. However, a recent red card against Nashville saw him miss a few matches because of suspension.
@JohnGoliath82