Bafana Bafana begin countdown as do-or-die showdown looms
The South African senior men’s national team is set to return to action with a pair of do-or-die soccer matches as it aims to advance to the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Bafana Bafana will face Zimbabwe at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Friday, 10 October, followed by matchup against on Tuesday Rwanda in the last qualifier at the Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga, on Tuesday, 14 October. Both matches will be played at 18h00.
Ahead of the two crucial matches, head coach Hugo Broos addressed various topics, including the decision to withdraw Orlando Pirates Star Relebogile Mofokeng and squad selection.
Relebohile Mofokeng was withdrawn from the squad on Monday due to injury and Mduduzi Shabalala was called up as his replacement. Shabalala is already in camp. Lyle Foster and Sphephelo Sithole are the only outstanding players, and they are expected in camp on Tuesday.
“There are no doubts, there have never been any doubts from my side, and I will try to transfer this to the players at a meeting we will have on Tuesday,” he said.
“I believe in this group and I am sure that they will do everything in their power to win that game on Friday. Why should we doubt ourselves now after our performances in the qualifiers? If there is a team that deserves to go to the World Cup, it is South Africa.”
Coach Broos added that his team deserve to go to the FIFA World Cup after working extremely hard to put themselves in contention in the last two years.
A Fifa disciplinary committee recently ruled that South Africa breached competition rules, and subsequently imposing a 3-0 forfeit.
The decision has blown Group C wide open, with South Africa dropping from top of the table to second place, behind Benin on goal difference.
Only the group winners are assured of reaching next year’s tournament. The FIFA decision also gives renewed hope to Nigeria and Rwanda of reaching the finals, with both of those sides now three points below Benin and South Africa.