South Africa completed a perfect international window with three victories under returning coach Pitso Mosimane, ending the period top of Group D in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Bafana Bafana defeated Guinea and Eritrea before securing an impressive win over top-ranked Egypt, despite fielding a side largely made up of players on the fringes of the national squad. The results have strengthened their prospects of reaching next year’s tournament in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania (Pamoja), with Eritrea and Kenya also in their qualifying group.
Mosimane’s second spell in charge has also given him several important selection decisions to make before November’s back-to-back qualifiers against Kenya.
Central defensive decision awaits
The return of Mbekezeli Mbokazi from injury will create a major dilemma at the heart of the defence. The 21-year-old has been Bafana Bafana’s outstanding defender over the past year and a half, but Ime Okon and Olwethu Makhanya impressed during the victories over Guinea, Eritrea and Egypt.
Mosimane must now decide whether Mbokazi goes straight back into the starting line-up. If he does, either Okon or Makhanya will have to make way.
The core of the team is beginning to settle, with Ronwen Willians, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Aubrey Modiba, Teboho Mokoena, Sphephelo Sithole, Themba Zwane and Relebohile Mofokeng among the leading performers.
Khuliso Mudau, Thalente Mbatha and Evidence Makgopa were unavailable for the camp while recovering from injury, but all three are expected to be considered for the November fixtures. Mbokazi is also likely to return.
Tshepang Moremi was brought into the squad after Lebohang Maboe was injured. He had previously been part of the teams selected by former coach Hugo Broos for the 2023 Afcon in Ivory Coast and the 2026 Fifa World Cup.
Poggenpoel takes his chance
Brooklyn Poggenpoel was the most notable player to benefit from Mosimane’s decision to widen the squad.
The Durban City midfielder replaced Bathusi Aubaas after 12 minutes of the second qualifier against Eritrea and produced another impressive display in the friendly against Egypt. He will compete with Maboe for a place among the midfield cover options behind Teboho Mokoena, Sithole, Thalente Mbatha and Aubaas.
Strikers remain a concern
South Africa’s forwards did not make the same impact as the rest of the team. Iqraam Rayners was the only striker to score, finding the net in the emphatic victory over Eritrea.
The other seven goals came from midfielders Relebohile Mofokeng, who scored twice, and Sithole; defenders Okon and Samukele Kabini; and wingers Puso Dithejane and Luther Singh.
That leaves Rayners, Cassius Mailula and the returning Makgopa under pressure to improve the attacking output when Makgopa is fit next month.
Mosimane’s victory over Egypt also demonstrated the squad’s depth. Without regular starters Ronwen Williams, Kamogelo Sebelebele, Modiba, Mokoena and Oswin Appollis at Cairo International Stadium, South Africa still secured a morale-boosting win.
Sipho Chaine, Ricardo Goss, Sibisi, Lebone Seema, Khulumani Ndamane, Fawaaz Basadien, Dithejane, Tashreeq Matthews, Singh, Mailula, Yanela Mbuthuma and Shandre Campbell all took advantage of the opportunity without the team’s quality dropping.
