Former TS Galaxy coach Adnan Beganovic has hailed Mamelodi Sundowns defender Khulumani Ndamane as a tactical diamond, praising the player's game intelligence and leadership. Beganovic, who worked with Ndamane at the Rockets, said the defender's move to the league leaders in January was a beautiful step forward for the player's career.

"When I saw him for the first time in our training sessions, I immediately said that he had special talent," Beganovic said. He described Ndamane as the vocal heartbeat of his former team's defence, a player who thinks deeply about the game and communicates constantly to organise those around him.

His greatest strength is not physical speed but his ability to read the play and anticipate danger. Beganovic explained that Ndamane can predict situations before they unfold on the pitch, positioning himself perfectly to react. The coach also highlighted the defender's exceptional passing range, noting his ability to break lines with a short pass or switch play with a long ball delivered with sniper-like precision.

Beganovic was frank about the impact of losing his key defender. He said TS Galaxy collected only two points from the nine games immediately following Ndamane's exit, a difficult run that showed his importance. "For me, the main problem was that we could not find enough good players to replace him properly at that time," the former coach admitted.

The 22-year-old has since established himself as a Bafana Bafana international, featuring in AFCON qualifiers and the 2026 FIFA World Cup squad before his high-profile switch to Mamelodi Sundowns. Beganovic believes the defender fully deserved his national team call-up after seizing his opportunity. Ndamane now forms part of a Sundowns squad sitting first in the Premier Soccer League with 20 points from eight games, claiming a recent form of four wins and a draw from their last five outings.

The defender could be in contention for South Africa's upcoming friendly against Egypt. His immediate club focus, however, will be on Sundowns' next league assignment away to Richards Bay on 17 October. Richards Bay currently occupy 14th place in the table, and Sundowns will look to maintain their one-point lead at the summit. Fans can view the full fixtures schedule ahead of that trip.

The report in full is at goal.com