Mbekezeli Mbokazi ruled out for the season, confirms Chicago Fire coach

Bafana coach Hugo Broos has confirmed recent reporting that Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Bongokuhle Hlongwane will be absent from Friday's friendly with Panama.

The 20-year-old centre-back suffered the injury in training last month and has already missed the club’s last four games.

Chicago Fire are currently in fourth place in the MLS Eastern Conference and most recently won their first game of the Leagues Cup at home against Necaxa.

Head coach Gregg Berhalter has now confirmed that Mbokazi will miss the rest of their games for the current campaign.

“Mbo being out for the year is a tough one,” Berhalter said on IOL.

READ: Mbekezeli Mbokazi faces lengthy lay-off after serious thigh injury sidelines Bafana star

“It’s really about the next person stepping up and being a team that’s hard to score on. Closing the spaces, being compact.

“We’re working on that now.”

Since losing Mbokazi to injury, Fire lost 3-2 to Inter Miami and 3-1 to New York before wins over Charlotte, and Necaxa.