Mbule was instrumental in the win, assisting goals by Oswin Appollis and Mohau Nkota, and earned the Man of the Match award for his display.

Broos hailed the midfielder’s performance as evidence of his growth and maturity as a player, and emphasised that the Orlando Pirates player has now become a key player for the senior national team.

“You know, four years ago when I first called him up, I immediately saw his talent. The problem then was that other things seemed more important to him than football. Now, he understands that football requires focus both on and off the pitch, and I think he gets that,” said the Bafana mentor.

“He’s a very important player for us. I told him, ‘This is your second chance. The AFCON and the World Cup are ahead. It’s up to you how you perform, and I want to see what you can do.'”

The Belgian coach praised Mbule’s creativity and ability to make the team dangerous on the ball, noting that he was underutilized in the first half.

Broos also compared Mbule to injured midfielder Themba Zwane, highlighting the strength the team would gain from having both in the squad.

“For now, Sipho can fill the gap left by Themba, but I hope Zwane returns to form at Sundowns so we can have both,” Broos said.

“With Sipho and Themba, we’ll be much stronger for AFCON and next year’s World Cup.”

As Bafana Bafana prepare for the AFCON in Morocco, Broos will monitor Mbule’s consistency and Zwane’s recovery closely, hoping both can contribute to the team’s success in the upcoming tournaments.