Minnesota United coach urged to give Hlongwane more of an attacking role
- Peter Kanjere
- Jun 28
- 2 min read
Minnesota United coach Eric Ramsay has been urged to consider fielding South African winger Bongokuhle Hlongwane further up the pitch following his red-hot scoring form with the Major League Soccer side.
The Loons's in-house reporter Rachel Blood has made the suggestion following the Bafana Bafana fringe player's two goals he scored in the 3-1 win over Houston Dynamo on Thursday evening.
Blood says moving the South African to the advanced attacking position would make sense "after all, he’s originally a forward, and having Julian Gressel around unlocks the option to push Bongi farther up the pitch. He’s made it clear that he knows exactly what to do in that attacking third."
Hlongwane was Minnesota's leading scorer in 2024, logging 11 goals in regular-season play while playing as right winger. This season, the former Maritzburg United player has been utilized more as a right back or right wingback but thrived playing back at his natural right wing position against Houston.
The call for fielding the 25-year-old in a more advanced attacking position came as the Loons gear up to face fancied New York Red Bulls this weekend.
Earlier this year, Ramsay stressed that Hlongwane does not play as a wingback but he is more attack-oriented like Arsenal's Bukayo Saka and and Jeremie Frimpong of Bayer Leverkusen.
"I want to make sure that the guys know what the next level looks like...I think for Bongi, Frimpong is a perfect reference point," the Star Tribune newspaper quoted the coach saying.
The Bafana Bafana's on-and-off player signed for Minnesota in January 2022 and has since made over 100 appearances for the American team to earn a contract extension. He has three goals in 19 appearances for Minnesota this campaign.
