Bafana Bafana have been one of the best nations on the continent, having finished third in the last Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals in Ivory Coast. That achievement was so significant that they are now not only expected to go all the way in the next edition but also to qualify for the World Cup.
Bafana are in Group C for the group stage round, alongside Rwanda, Lesotho, Benin, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe. They have already made strides toward reaching the global showpiece, sitting in second place in the group with seven points — level with leaders Rwanda.
Hugo Broos’ men could reinforce their ambitions of returning to the tournament in North America by winning their next two games: at home against Lesotho on Friday and away to Benin four days later. The Belgian coach has made some notable omissions from his 23-man squad. Below, Mihlali Baleka looks at three players who should have made the cut.
Bruce Bvuma – Goalkeeper
Bvuma has had his fair share of ups and downs this season, initially struggling to break into the team and keep clean sheets when he finally got the nod. However, a lot has changed since the start of the season. Bvuma has dusted himself off to become one of the best shot-stoppers in the league.
With Broos having attended some Chiefs matches in recent weeks, you’d have expected him to consider Bvuma ahead of Ricardo Goss. Sure, Goss has been in Broos’ fold for some time, but Bvuma has outperformed him in recent months—especially considering that he was relegated to No. 2 at one point due to form but fought his way back.
Tshegofatso Mabasa – Striker
Mabasa hasn’t scored many goals this season, having found the net only five times in the league — eight goals behind top scorer Lucas Ribeiro.
However, Mabasa has delivered crucial goals for the Sea Robbers, keeping their hopes alive for an unprecedented quadruple this season. Pirates, currently second in the league, are the defending champions of the MTN8 and have also reached the Nedbank Cup and Champions League quarter-finals.
Mabasa is clearly not Broos’ cup of tea, with the Bafana coach admitting in the past that the striker did not meet his expectations. However, Broos should reconsider him for future call-ups.
Thabo Cele – Midfielder
Cele has slotted seamlessly into Chiefs’ midfield, proving why the club had been chasing his signature for some time. His ability to link up with both defense and attack has set him apart at Chiefs.
His duel with Teboho Mokoena in Chiefs’ away game against Sundowns was particularly intriguing, as he demonstrated that he won’t be easily outclassed by one of the best players in the country. Broos may prefer to stick with his tried-and-tested players, and he has admitted that he won’t call up Sundowns players for friendlies. However, the time to reconsider his approach is now.