Mosimane’s Bafana Bafana earn three wins but face striker and defence decisions

Bafana Bafana completed a perfect international window with three victories, giving Pitso Mosimane a confident start to his second spell as South Africa coach.

South Africa now lead Group D in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, ahead of Guinea, Eritrea and Kenya. Their results have strengthened their prospects of reaching next year’s tournament, which will be hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania under the Pamoja tournament name.

They also secured a significant victory over top-ranked Egypt, despite fielding a team largely made up of players on the fringes of the South Africa squad.

Mbokazi faces fight for his place

Mosimane will have a difficult decision to make in central defence when Mbekezeli Mbokazi returns for the back-to-back qualifiers against Kenya in November.

The 21-year-old has been Bafana Bafana’s outstanding defender over the past year and a half, but his starting position is no longer certain after Ime Okon and Olwethu Makhanya excelled in the wins against Guinea, Eritrea and Egypt.

If Mosimane restores Mbokazi to the team, he will have to leave out either Okon or Makhanya.

The coach does have an established core to build around, including Ronwen Williams, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Aubrey Modiba, Teboho Mokoena, Sphephelo Sithole, Themba Zwane and Relebohile Mofokeng.

Khuliso Mudau, Thalente Mbatha and Evidence Makgopa were unavailable because of injury and are expected to come back into contention for the November matches. Tshepang Moremi was called up late to replace the injured Lebohang Maboe, but he has already been part of the squads that former coach Hugo Broos took to the 2023 Afcon in Ivory Coast and the 2026 Fifa World Cup.

Poggenpoel takes his chance

Mosimane used the three matches to assess players beyond his regular group, with Brooklyn Poggenpoel making the strongest impression.

The Durban City midfielder entered the second qualifier against Eritrea after Bathusi Aubaas went off after 12 minutes. He followed that performance with another impressive display in the friendly against Egypt.

Poggenpoel will now compete with Maboe for a place among the midfield cover behind Teboho Mokoena, Sithole, Thalente Mbatha and Aubaas.

The main area still requiring improvement is the attack. Iqraam Rayners was the only striker to score during the three games, finding the net in the emphatic win over Eritrea.

The remaining seven goals came from Mofokeng, who scored twice, Sithole, Okon, Samukele Kabini, Puso Dithejane and Luther Singh.

That leaves Rayners, Cassius Mailula and the returning Makgopa under pressure to improve the side’s attacking output when Makgopa is fit next month.

Fringe players provide strength in depth

Mosimane’s decision to use a largely fringe side against Egypt at Cairo International Stadium produced a major morale-boosting victory.

South Africa were without regular starters Williams, Kamogelo Sebelebele, Modiba, Mokoena and Oswin Appollis, but the team’s performance did not suffer.

Sipho Chaine, Ricardo Goss, Sibisi, Lebone Seema, Khulumani Ndamane, Fawaaz Basadien, Dithejane, Tashreeq Matthews, Singh, Mailula, Yanela Mbuthuma and Shandre Campbell all benefited from the opportunity.