WeeklySA_AdminWORLD CUP QUALIFIERS: Bafana coach Hugo Broos snubs DStv top goal scorer while Foster makes a return to the national team excluded earlier this year due to mental health challenges
By Sports Reporter
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has announced his 23-member squad that will face Nigeria and Zimbabwe in two World Cup qualifiers in June with Bafana striker Lyle Foster making a return to the national team.
Foster was excluded from the Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire earlier this year due to mental health challenges.
FCSB defender Siyabonga Ngezana is also part of the squad. Ngezana was also named in the Official Superliga Team of the Season in Romania after an outstanding season with his new club.
Orlando Pirates teen sensation and DStv Premiership Young Player of the Season nominee Relebohile Mofokeng has also received a call-up to the national team after a brilliant season at Pirates.
Orlando Pirates top striker and DStv Premiership’s top goal scorer of the season, Tshegofatso Mabasa has played down his omission from the Bafana Bafana squad. Mabasa says he will continue biding his time and waiting for that call-up.
After finishing the league programme with 16 goals this past weekend, he had had been touted to return to Hugo Broos’ squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
He likens his situation to Mamelodi Sundowns livewire Themba Zwane who was once ignored by the national team coach and is a darling today.
“In all honesty, not really, yes each and every player wants to play for the national team but I believe that if it’s meant to happen, it will happen at some point. Look at Mshishi what happened with him, I mean he wasn’t selected at all and now he’s being selected each and every camp,” Mabasa said.
“So, for me, it’s not something that I think about quite a lot. Yes, I’ve been doing well and yeah, like I said if it’s meant to happen, it will happen. So, I’m not worried about that at all.”
Mabasa, who started the season on loan at Moroka Swallows and scored six goals in 13 matches there, says a strong mentality has helped him achieve what he’s managed to do this season.
“Look I started obviously elsewhere beginning of the season but one thing that hasn’t changed for me this season it’s the sort of mentality that I’ve had. The confidence that I’ve had since the beginning of the season and I think it has helped me to achieve the things that I have achieved during the course of the season as well,” he added.
“And obvioulsy the support that I’ve been getting whether I was at Swallows, whether I was here. I mean that support that I’ve been getting this season from my fellow teammates, it’s been amazing and I’m just really grateful for everything that they’ve done for me throughout this campaign so far.”
Final Bafana 23-man squad:
Goalkeepers: Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns), Bruce Bvuma (Kaizer Chiefs), Ricardo Goss (SuperSport United)
Defenders: Thapelo Morena, Aubrey Modiba, Grant Kekana, Mothobi Mvala, Khuliso Mudau (all Sundowns), Sydney Mobbie (Sekhukhune United), Nkosinathi Sibisi (Orlando Pirates), Siyabonga Ngezana (FCSB, Romania)
Midfielders: Teboho Mokoena (Sundowns), Jayden Adams (Stellenbosch FC), Bathusi Aubaas (Mamelodi Sundowns), Siphephelo Sithole (C.D Tondela, Portugal)
Forwards: Themba Zwane (Sundowns), Patrick Maswanganyi (Pirates), Lyle Foster (Burnley FC), Relebohile Mofokeng (Orlando Pirates), Percy Tau (Al Ahly), Iqraam Rayners (Stellenbosch FC), Oswin Appollis (Polokwane City), Elias Mokwana (Sekhukhune United)
