Grant Kekana names Khama Billiat as toughest opponent of his career

Mamelodi Sundowns and Bafana Bafana defender Grant Kekana says former Kaizer Chiefs forward Khama Billiat was the most difficult opponent he encountered during his professional career.

The 33-year-old has built an impressive career, winning four league titles with Sundowns and claiming the PSL Defender of the Season award for the 2023/24 campaign.

Kekana has also become an important figure for South Africa. He has won 16 international caps and started five matches during Bafana Bafana’s run to a historic bronze medal at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.

However, it was his repeated battles with Billiat that left the strongest impression.

The two players first crossed paths when Billiat was with Ajax Cape Town, Sundowns and later Chiefs, while Kekana was playing for University of Pretoria and SuperSport United. During his time at SuperSport United, Kekana was specifically used at right-back by then-manager Kaitano Tembo to limit the threat posed by the Zimbabwean attacker.

Billiat’s movement, control and ability to exploit defensive gaps made him a particularly demanding opponent for Kekana.

“Everyone will tell you about Khama Billiat. His first touch, his awareness,” revealed Kekana.

“You know us defenders: we don’t like to get dragged into weird positions, running facing our goal, and Khama had it all. He could finish as well. He could dribble.

“He was a combination of everything. When you were facing Khama, you knew you had to drink at least five litres of water because you were going to lose a lot of water!

“I think that was my toughest opponent,” he went on.

Although both players have strong links with Sundowns’ Chloorkop base, they never played alongside one another. Billiat left the Brazilians for Kaizer Chiefs in June 2018, while Kekana joined Sundowns three years later.

Billiat remains one of the most successful foreign-born players of the PSL era. Across 362 appearances in all competitions, he scored 95 goals and provided 96 assists.

The former PSL Footballer of the Season collected several league titles during his decade in South Africa and also helped win the CAF Champions League.

After leaving South Africa, Billiat returned to Zimbabwe. He currently represents top-flight newcomers Scottland FC, having previously restored his scoring form during a highly successful spell with Yadah FC.

Kekana’s assessment reflects the challenge Billiat posed at his peak: defenders had to cope not only with his close control and dribbling, but also with his awareness and finishing ability. For a player whose career has included domestic success with Sundowns and a major international tournament achievement with Bafana Bafana, Kekana still regards Billiat as the most testing opponent he has faced.