Doctor Expresses Defensive Concern Against Nigeria
South African football legend Doctor Khumalo believes Bafana Bafana’s defense is a major area of concern ahead of their crucial FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Nigeria at Toyota Stadium on Tuesday.
Coach Hugo Broos will be without key defenders Grant Kekana and Mothobi Mvala, who were instrumental in their last encounter with Nigeria during the Africa Cup of Nations.
The Mamelodi Sundowns defenders were the defensive partners when Bafana lost on penalties to Nigeria in the semi-final of the Africa Cup of Nations last year.
When these two sides also met in the FIFA World Cup qualifying’s reverse fixture in June, Mvala was present with Siyabonga Ngezana, who is likely to partner with Mbokazi.
Ngezana and Mbokazi, as much as they are doing well at their clubs, have not been tested at this level of competition. Nigeria possesses players who are playing in the top leagues in Europe.
Khumalo’s Confidence in Mbokazi’s Mentality
Despite the inexperience of the backline, Khumalo, who earned 50 caps for the national team, has a lot of faith in the 19-year-old Mbokazi.
He sees the match as a valuable learning experience. Khumalo praised the young defender’s mentality, stating that he’s never shown a “weaker mind” or a “weaker heart.”
“You look at Mbokazi, and obviously, he hasn’t featured much in the national setup. He has only played in the CAF Champions League with Orlando Pirates,” said Khumalo, who became the first Bafana Bafana player to score the first goal for South Africa in July 1992.
“He is going to be facing very experienced players from Europe. But at the end of the day, it’s about who has it more, and if you look at Mbokazi, he has never been on the field with weaker mind, with the weaker heart.
“He always strives to be the winner, and that kind of player is very rare to find. Mbokazi is not just an ordinary player, but what he brings to the day is hard work, and that’s what makes him become one of the best central defenders we have.
“Yes, I understand the experienced players that we are playing against, but what I like about him – the composure and being bold enough to challenge.
“I mean, he has played against better strikers in the PSL, and he challenged them. Why can’t he do it?”
The Stakes: A Chance at World Cup Qualification
Bafana Bafana can secure their spot in the 2026 World Cup if they defeat Nigeria and Benin fails to beat Lesotho.
In the African qualifiers, only group winners get an automatic place in the finals, which will be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the USA. The four best runners-up will get a second chance via a playoff round.
