South Africa’s national football team, Bafana Bafana, will be without star striker Lyle Foster for their crucial Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 qualifier against Congo Brazzaville on Tuesday. Foster was sidelined after sustaining an injury to his left knee during the first leg of the encounter at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha.
The injury, which occurred in Friday’s 5-0 victory for South Africa, required Foster to undergo medical scans for further assessment, leading to his withdrawal from the squad.
The setback comes as a blow for coach Hugo Broos, who had hoped to rely on Foster’s attacking prowess for the return leg in Brazzaville.
Ahead of Tuesday’s match, Broos expressed his confidence in the team’s ability to perform well, despite Foster’s absence.
“We will try to achieve six points from six and come back from Congo with qualification,” the coach said. He acknowledged the upcoming fixture would present a different challenge, especially on a new playing surface.
It will be a different game, certainly on a different pitch also, so we’ll see.
But if we perform like we did on Friday, we can win, we can achieve that.”
Broos highlighted the camaraderie and focus within the squad as key factors in their recent success, despite the challenges posed by injuries.
You know we’ve been working together for many months, years now. Everyone is happy with each other, and I have a fantastic group.
The mentality is fantastic, and the quality is there too,” he added.
Reflecting on the 5-0 triumph in the first leg, Broos emphasized the importance of not getting complacent ahead of the second leg.
Tuesday is another match, and on Saturday we forgot about the 5-0 win. We move on and focus on the next challenge.
Foster’s absence means Bafana Bafana will have to adjust their attacking approach against Congo Brazzaville.
His contributions to the team’s recent performances had been instrumental, and while Broos remains optimistic, the team will need to find alternative solutions to break down Congo’s defense.
Tuesday’s clash is crucial for South Africa’s hopes of securing a spot at AFCON 2025.
A win or a draw would virtually guarantee their qualification, and the team will be looking to maintain the momentum they built with their dominant win last week.
Despite the setback, the squad remains focused, and fans are hopeful that Bafana Bafana will rise to the occasion and deliver another strong performance in their bid for AFCON qualification.
