South Africa’s Bafana Bafana are 180 minutes away from qualifying for the FIFA 2026 World Cup, even after FIFA deducted three points due to the Teboho Mokoena suspension issue.
Sphephelo Sithole, who plays for CD Tondela in Portugal, has returned after a serious injury sustained during the AFCON tournament in February.
“I am very happy that we could replace Yaya for a year,” said coach Broos during a press briefing.
“When you see what Yaya contributed to the team and his importance before his injury, as a coach, you wonder how to fill that gap. He was crucial for us.
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“But we handled it well, and those who stepped in did an excellent job over the past year, which has strengthened our squad and given us more choices,” the Belgian added.
Coach Hugo Broos’ team will play against Zimbabwe on Friday, 10 October, at Moses Mabhida Stadium at 19:00. They will then face Rwanda on Tuesday, 14 October, at Mbombela Stadium at 18:00.