Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has officially named his 23-man squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Nigeria. The selection features a mix of regulars and fresh faces, as the coach explained that some of his usual players were unavailable due to injuries and lack of game time.
Among those ruled out through injury are Nkosinathi Sibisi, Grant Kekana, Deano Van Rooyen, and Themba Zwane. Broos also revealed that Khuliso Mudau has ongoing issues with his club, Mamelodi Sundowns, and has not had sufficient game time since the start of the season. Additionally, players such as Simphiwe Selepe and Sinoxolo Kwayiba were not considered due to concerns about their form and match fitness.
One of the most notable inclusions in the squad is 19-year-old Mbekezeli Mbokazi, who was not part of the preliminary squad for the Under-20 World Cup, but Coach Broos was full of praise for the young defender. “From the beginning, he showed me a very mature attitude. He is confident, strong, has good technique, and plays without fear. This is special for a young player. In the four years I’ve been here, I’ve never seen a defender like this,” said Broos.
He added that Mbokazi wasn’t released for the Under-20 World Cup because Orlando Pirates see him as a key part of their senior squad and need him at the club.
The coach also addressed the absence of Kaizer Chiefs duo, goalkeeper Brandon Petersen and defender Thabiso Monyane. Both players have been performing well for their club and have kept clean sheets in all the matches they’ve played this season. However, Broos explained that competition for spots is tough, especially in the goalkeeper department. “We now have Petersen. When I see the progression of Petersen compared to last season, it’s a big jump. So we have another good keeper, but I can only select three,” he said.
As for Monyane, Broos acknowledged the defender’s improvement but hinted that the call-up may have come slightly too early. “Little by little, he is coming again to the level we expect from him. Maybe this selection was a little bit too soon. I hope that he can confirm in the next weeks what he showed us in the four weeks so far, and then maybe he can be with us for the qualifiers in October.”
Bafana Bafana will play both of their upcoming World Cup qualifiers at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein. On the 5th of September, they will face Lesotho as the designated away team, followed by a high-stakes clash against Nigeria on the 9th of September.