Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos is set to continue his extensive player evaluation process as South Africa takes on Mozambique in an international friendly match in Polokwane later this evening.
This encounter follows a goalless draw against Tanzania last Friday, an opportunity Broos utilized to blood several new talents into the senior national team setup.
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The 0-0 stalemate against Tanzania saw both sides struggling to create clear-cut scoring opportunities in what was a rather disjointed performance. Despite the lack of goals, the match served its primary purpose for Broos: to assess a new crop of players.
This experimentation was due to the absence of Mamelodi Sundowns players, who are currently preparing for the prestigious FIFA Club World Cup set to kick off this weekend.
The Tanzanian friendly saw four players make their senior national team starts: Deano van Rooyen, Khulumani Ndamane, Simphiwe Selepe, and Tshepang Moremi. Additionally, Renaldo Leaner and Mohau Nkota came off the bench to earn their first senior caps.
Broos emphasized the experimental nature of the match, stating, “After every game, we give jerseys to players earning their first cap. We gave out eight after this match.
That shows we had a new team with players who had never played together at this level.” While acknowledging the desire to win, the Belgian coach highlighted that “…the result wasn’t the most important thing. The performance mattered more, and I was happy with what I saw.”
Broos further elaborated on the tactical challenge posed by Tanzania, who adopted a deep defensive block and aimed for counter-attacks. Despite this, he expressed satisfaction that his side did not concede any real scoring opportunities.
“There were areas where we can improve, but considering it was the first appearance for many players, I’m not going to be too critical. The discipline was good,” he remarked.
Bafana Bafana’s next opponents, Mozambique, present a more formidable challenge. The Mambas are actively preparing for their upcoming Africa Cup of Nations campaign and have also started their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification journey on a strong note, indicating their readiness for competitive action.
Kaizer Chiefs defender Edmilson Dove, who plays for Mozambique, underscored the seriousness with which his team approaches friendly matches. “The coach always reminds us there’s no such thing as a friendly. We’re here to represent our country, and we hope to win,” he stated.
Historically, South Africa and Mozambique have met 12 times at the senior level. Bafana Bafana holds the advantage with seven victories, while Mozambique has secured three wins, and two matches have ended in draws.
Their most recent senior ‘A’ team clash was a friendly in November 2022 in Mbombela, which Bafana won 2-1, thanks to a brace from Bongokuhle Hlongwane.
However, it’s worth noting that Mozambique emerged victorious in the most recent encounter between the countries’ ‘B’ teams last week in the COSAFA Cup, with Antonio Sumbane scoring the decisive goal.
Tuesday’s match against a well-prepared Mozambique side will provide Broos with another invaluable opportunity to further evaluate his new players.
This ongoing assessment is crucial as he continues to fine-tune the Bafana Bafana squad, identifying the right blend of experience and fresh talent for future competitive fixtures, including upcoming qualifiers.