Sacked over a ball-boy dispute, now scoring off Lewandowski assists in MLS: The incredible comeback of Puso Dithejane
Puso Dithejane's journey has taken him from a scandalous academy exit to combining with one of football's biggest stars in MLS.
Details: Chicago Fire claimed a thrilling 4-2 away victory over Colorado Rapids on October 31. Jonathan Bamba scored twice, but the decisive moment came in the 74th minute, when substitute Robert Lewandowski put the visitors 3-2 ahead, ending his eight-match goalless streak. Fourteen minutes later, the Polish striker turned provider, setting up 22-year-old South African winger Puso Dithejane for Chicago's fourth goal.
But Dithejane's story began with a major controversy. In 2023, Kaizer Chiefs parted ways with their promising academy player after he and teammate Omega Mdaka refused to serve as ball boys for the senior team during a Carling Knockout Cup match. Dithejane later confirmed that there was no formal disciplinary hearing. Instead, the players were told to leave following a meeting with the club.
The youngster refused to let the setback derail his career. He joined TS Galaxy, became one of the South African league's most exciting attacking talents and won the August 2025 Player of the Month award after registering three goals and two assists. Kaizer Chiefs subsequently showed interest in bringing him back, but a return never materialized.
In January 2026, Dithejane secured a move to Chicago Fire, joining Gregg Berhalter's squad alongside fellow South African Mbekezeli Mbokazi. Against Colorado, the winger needed only 36 seconds after coming off the bench to convert Lewandowski's pass and seal the victory.
It's worth noting that Dithejane's strike was his third goal of the 2026 MLS regular season. Lewandowski, meanwhile, has now recorded seven goals and five assists in the competition.
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Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
