Mosimane Wants Appollis, Sebelebele To Adapt To Sundowns Style
Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane has insisted that Oswin Appollis and Kamogelo Sebelebele must adapt to Mamelodi Sundowns’ style within the national team setup.
Mosimane was speaking after Bafana Bafana opened their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a 2-1 victory over Guinea at Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday, with Ime Okon and Samukelo Kabini finding the net.
Appollis usually plays more centrally for Pirates, with the left-back providing width by staying high and covering the entire left flank. Sebelebele plays a similar role on the right, often pushing forward, occupying the flank and overlapping to support the attack.
“Modiba must play the same way he plays for Sundowns,” Mosimane said.
“He must also come into the No. 10 position, and that’s important. I didn’t make Modiba play like that; he’s been playing like that. So, we’re going to use him to his strengths.
“Appollis knows that. I told Appollis that when Modiba comes there, he has to stay on the wing. But at Pirates, Appollis doesn’t play that way.
“Appollis plays inside, right? But with the national team, because he has to accommodate Modiba, he has to adjust.
“At Pirates, Appollis plays inside because Deon Hotto is coming out, or whoever plays as the left-back.
“But this is the national team, so he has to change, and they must adjust, by the way. I need Appollis on the wing, and he can come inside. And sometimes Sebelebele must sit back.”
Despite the adjustment, Sebelebele produced an impressive performance and was named Man of the Match.
The 23-year-old had a difficult first half against tricky Guinea attacker Aliou Balde, but he adapted to the challenge and grew stronger as the game progressed.
Mosimane admitted he had some concerns about Sebelebele, particularly during set pieces, but explained why he ultimately trusted the defender to deal with the situation.
“I was worried a bit about Sebelebele on set pieces, but it was like-for-like, you know,” he added.
“The players who were marking him were not very, very tall, and he’s got the speed to recover the ball. He’s also good in one-v-one situations.
“Okay, in the first half, he had a little bit of a challenge because this guy has a lot of trickery, but he figured him out and managed to settle.
“So, unbelievably, he played well. I guess the confidence comes from the areas where he’s playing. He’s playing every day in those spaces.”
Bafana Bafana travelled to Egypt shortly after Saturday’s match and will face Eritrea on Wednesday in their final AFCON qualifier of this FIFA international break.
Appollis and Sebelebele will therefore have another opportunity to demonstrate how quickly they can adapt to Mosimane’s tactical demands as Bafana continue to build under their new coach.
