Bafana Bafana boosted their World Cup qualification chances following their 2-0 victory over Lesotho at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Friday.
South Africa now occupy top spot in Group C with 10 points from five matches, two better than second-placed Benin, and three ahead of Rwanda.
The win was not straightforward for Hugo Broos’ men, however, as they had to up the ante in the second half to secure maximum points against a stubborn Lesotho.
Having boosted their World Cup qualification chances, there were key lessons learnt from the match.
A new star is born
Relebohile Mofokeng got his first-ever start for Bafana Bafana and he rewarded coach Hugo Broos with an impressive performance.
Still basking in the glory of his two goals against Mamelodi Sundowns last weekend, the Orlando Pirates forward scored the opening goal, before setting up Jayden Adams for the second, to be named Man of the Match.
That effectively means Mofokeng has walked his way into the starting XI as it will very difficult now for Broos to drop him, which is bad news for others in his position like Oswin Appollis.
Jayden Adams is a gem
Another player who earned his first start, Jayden Adams had an impressive display and capped it off with a goal.
Bafana Bafana has been crying out for a player who can open up tight defences and help them play in tight spaces since Themba Zwane’s injury last October and his new Sundowns team-mate Adams could be that man.
With Patrick Maswanganyi out, Adams grabbed his chance in the team and after impressing, the rest will have a hard time getting him out of the side and at 23, he has the advantage of age, something Broos values a lot.
Percy Tau still rusty
Percy Tau was among the players who were returning to the national team but he did not set the stage alight.
Playing for Bafana Bafana since the World Cup qualifier against Nigeria last June, the Qatar SC winger did not impose himself on the game as many would have wished, and he is among those who will be looking over their shoulders when the starting XI for the Benin match is named.
Bafana have depth in squad
Something that will excite coach Broos is that he has plenty of options to choose from. If it were not for injuries, some faces in the current team would not have received call-ups but their pain has been a gain for the coach and the national team as others have received opportunities and grabbed them.
Now, Broos has both young and old quality players to call on and it is exciting days ahead of AFCON 2025 and possibly 2026 World Cup.
Broos’ tactical flexibility pays off
Coach Broos has also displayed remarkable tactical flexibility during his time in charge and picks a formation that suits the players at his disposal.
South Africa have played with a back three, 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-2, as witnessed on Friday, and on all occasions, he has come out on top.
The veteran coach is never afraid to switch to a formation that yields the best possible result and makes his player comfortable. That flexibility will be key for South Africa as they challenge on multiple fronts.
