2027 AFCON Qualifiers: Pitso Mosimane explains controversial Ronwen Williams and Teboho Mokoena call-ups for Bafana Bafana

Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane has defended his decision to include injured Mamelodi Sundowns duo Ronwen Williams and Teboho Mokoena in his 27-man squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers against Kenya, insisting he is prepared to wait until the last possible moment before ruling them out.

The two key players have been recovering from injuries and have missed recent matches for Sundowns, raising questions about their availability for the crucial double-header against Kenya.

However, Mosimane believes their importance to the national team makes it necessary to give them every opportunity to recover before making a final decision on their involvement.

The coach is particularly keen to assess their condition following Sunday’s CAF Super Cup final between Sundowns and USM Alger at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, where the match is scheduled to kick off at 3pm.

Mosimane indicated that their participation in the continental showpiece could influence his decision, leaving the door open for both players to remain in the squad if they demonstrate sufficient fitness.

Mosimane refuses to rule out Sundowns duo

Despite concerns surrounding their fitness, Mosimane explained that Williams and Mokoena have played significant roles in Bafana Bafana’s recent successes and deserve the benefit of the doubt.

Both players have been important figures in the national team’s qualification campaigns for the previous Afcon tournaments and the FIFA World Cup.

The coach also highlighted their contributions during matches against Guinea and Eritrea, stressing that their experience and leadership make them valuable members of his squad.

“Well, those are key players for us, who have been leading us to the first Afcon, the second Afcon and the Fifa World Cup and they have been part of the games of Guinea and Eritrea.

“So, they are very important players and we wait for the last time where we say, the doctors must tell me to rule them out. Then we can bring other players like we brought [Tshepang] Moremi last time.

“We have to give them the benefit of the doubt because you and I don’t know. What if they play on Sunday?”

Mosimane further explained that prematurely excluding the Sundowns pair could leave him facing difficult questions should they recover in time to feature against USM Alger.

He maintained that the medical team must provide a definitive assessment before any decision is taken, preferring to avoid unnecessary risks in managing national team selections.

“And I ruled them out today. You will ask me, you have left Teboho and Ronwen [out] and I come to you and say ‘they are injured’.

“We have to be careful with the national team, we wait until the end. It’s a very tricky thing, I’d rather play safe than to regret it, until I know that the player is not available.”

Ndlovu earns call-up as Mosimane reshuffles squad

Meanwhile, Chicago Fire centre-back Mbekezeli Mbokazi has returned to the squad after recovering from injury, while in-form winger Siyanda Ndlovu has also earned a place in the 27-man selection.

Ndlovu’s inclusion comes at the expense of Thapelo Maseko, who has been left out because of injury.

The coach believes the winger possesses qualities that make him a suitable replacement for Maseko, particularly his attacking output and ability to take on defenders.

Ndlovu has impressed in his recent club appearances, registering two man-of-the-match performances in his last four games.

“I think if you look at his last four games, I think he came out with two man-of-the-matches. Scoring and assists are also a little bit of a duplicate of Maseko,” Mosimane said.

He also outlined the characteristics he wants from his wide attackers, highlighting Ndlovu’s ability to operate in one-on-one situations, attack space and threaten opponents behind their defensive lines.

“I like those wingers, some people like wingers who turn around. I like that. Go inside, one vs one, go behind, those are kind of my wingers.

“He is that kind of player who has intensity, but we still need to check him in the national team because here, it is not the same as club level. We need to create a big pool of players.”

Bafana prepare for crucial Kenya double-header

Elsewhere, Themba Zwane and Nkosinathi Sibisi have been omitted from the latest squad as Mosimane continues to assess his options ahead of the two encounters.

Bafana will host Kenya at Orlando Stadium on November 13 before travelling to Nairobi for the return fixture on November 17.

The double-header presents an important opportunity for South Africa to strengthen their position in the Afcon qualifying campaign, with Mosimane hoping to have his key players available for both matches.