South Africa’s national football team, Bafana Bafana, suffered a blow ahead of their crucial World Cup qualifier against Nigeria on Tuesday, with head coach Hugo Broos confirming that key right back Nyiko Mobbie will miss the match due to an injury. The news comes following South Africa’s convincing 3-0 victory over Lesotho on Friday.
Mobbie, a trusted starter for Siwelele FC, was forced off the pitch just five minutes into the Lesotho game, prompting Broos to hand a debut to Mamelodi Sundowns defender Zuko Mdunyelwa. The early substitution disrupted the team’s rhythm, but they managed to secure a comfortable win.
Speaking to journalists after the match, Broos expressed disappointment over the injury but remained optimistic about the team’s prospects. “It’s a pity that we have those injuries. Moloisane is not so bad, but Mobbie is out,” Broos stated. He noted that while Mobbie’s absence is a significant loss, another injured player, Moloisane, is expected to recover in time for the Nigeria clash.
Broos revealed that the team is already working on a replacement for Mobbie, with a decision expected imminently. “So we’ll have to call someone else, and we will decide in the next hour who that will be,” he said. “Our CEO [Lydia Monyepao] will make a call for the game on Tuesday. You know that we have a list of players, and the one who will come tomorrow [Saturday] will be someone whom we have confidence in.”
The coach attributed the injuries to the physical intensity of the Lesotho match, commending their opponents for their aggressive and motivated performance. “That’s also why we have those injuries,” Broos explained. “But I saw a very motivated and aggressive team from Lesotho.”
Despite the setback, Broos emphasized that the team is not panicking. “What happened has happened. But that doesn’t mean we are panicking. We are in a very good situation, and we have to keep that,” he added, signaling confidence in the squad’s depth and readiness for the upcoming challenge.
South Africa now faces a formidable Nigeria side in a match that could prove pivotal in their World Cup qualification campaign. With a replacement for Mobbie expected to join the squad by Monday, Bafana Bafana will look to maintain their momentum and secure a positive result on Tuesday.
