Broos hails Mokoena as Bafana’s heartbeat as the midfielder celebrates 50 caps. Picture Credit: ESPN
By Moyahabo Mabeba
Like a veteran sculpture, Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos is masterfully crafting his masterpiece. He is not using a hammer nor a chisel, but the rare football intelligence South Africans have been desperately looking for in recent years.
The soccer loving nation has been deprived of glory following of World Cup qualification failures.
But Broos is certainly catapulting Bafana to loftier heights with a well-oiled machine.
He has a pool of generational blend of veterans and determined newcomers to change the course of the national side.
The Belgian-born mentor has paid an emotional tribute to his charges, specifically pinpointing Teboho Mokoena.
Broos’ praises came after the midfielder genius earned his 50th cap during a comfortable 3-1 win against Zambia in an international friendly match played at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape.
Well-executed goals from Oswin Appollis, Mohau Nkota and Sphephelo Sithole were enough to give the South African senior men’s national team a victory that will have given Broos some insight into the personnel at his disposal ahead of the announcement of the final squad for next month’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Sipho Mbule provided the catalyst with calculated assists in two of the goals, and the visitors eventually found a late consolation strike through Sabobo Banda to make the final score a lot respectable
“I congratulate him, certainly. It is not everyone who earns 50 caps, and now he will even have even more (in the future). Teboho Mokoena has become one of the most important South African national team players,” he said.
Broos had said before the game that he would not treat this clash as a friendly, and he urged his players to put in the work against South Africa’s COSAFA neighbours.
Zambia stand-in coach Perry Mtapa revealed that they knew it was never going to be easy playing against an opponent that he said they have watched grow stronger and stronger in the last four years under Broos.
Meanwhile, South African Football Association President Dr Danny Jordaan was also on cloud nine, congratulating the team, and said they continue to make the country proud.
