Bafana Bafana strikers under pressure after defenders sink Guinea

Bafana Bafana’s forwards are under scrutiny after centre-back Ime Okon and left-back Samukele Kabini scored the goals that secured a 2-1 victory over Guinea in their opening qualifier for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).

The match at Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday was Pitso Mosimane’s first game in his second spell as South Africa coach. Mamelodi Sundowns striker Iqraam Rayners started up front, but was replaced by Orlando Pirates forward Yanela Mbuthuma in the 68th minute.

Mbuthuma was making only his second appearance in a Bafana Bafana shirt.

Mosimane must now decide whether to keep Rayners in the starting line-up when South Africa face Eritrea at Cairo’s Al-Salam Stadium tomorrow, with kick-off scheduled for 6pm SA time.

Rayners and Mbuthuma are the only traditional strikers in the current Bafana Bafana squad. The two forwards who had been central to the team under Mosimane’s predecessor, Hugo Broos, are both unavailable.

Evidence Makgopa is recovering from a knee injury suffered after the recent World Cup. The Orlando Pirates striker has scored six goals in 30 international appearances.

Lyle Foster, meanwhile, is the last Bafana Bafana striker to score. He has recently moved from English second-tier club Burnley to US Major League Soccer (MLS) side Houston Dynamo.

Foster’s goal came in a pre-World Cup friendly against Jamaica in Mexico in early June. The match, which was played behind closed doors, finished 1-1.

That result means South Africa have now gone five matches without a goal from a recognised striker.

Although the defenders’ goals gave Bafana Bafana a winning start to their Afcon qualifying campaign, Mosimane acknowledged that his options in attack are limited.

“Let’s stack these players as I tell you. Let’s have three left-backs, three right-backs, five centre-backs, five midfielders. I cannot say that with the strikers… I don’t really have that much in terms of experience,” Mosimane said.

Rayners has scored four goals in 19 matches for Bafana Bafana and led the attack against Guinea, while Mbuthuma was introduced during the second half.

The contest against Eritrea will provide Mosimane with another opportunity to assess his forward options, with neither Makgopa nor Foster available to add experience to the squad.