Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos dropped five players from the Afcon squad that was knocked out by Cameroon in the round of 16 in Morocco in January — Siyabonga Ngezana, Sipho Mbule, Bathusi Aubaas, Ellias Mokwana and Shandre Campbell — for this month’s two-legged friendly against Panama, also snubbing a few deserving stars.
We pick five players that Broos excluded, despite them showing signs that they can add value before the Fifa World Cup, to be co-hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada this winter. Bafana will face Panama in Durban and Cape Town on March 27 and 31, respectively.
Gift Links (Aarhus GF, Denmark)
As much as Broos has consistently snubbed Links despite his good form in Denmark over the past few seasons, it was expected that he’d draft the 27-year-old wingback into the squad after second-choice left-back Samkelo Kabili struggled at Afcon.
It’s beyond comprehension why Broos continues to overlook Links, who’s arguably South Africa’s best player plying his trade in Europe at the moment. Links has three goals and five assists from 22 league games this season, proving to be his side’s best player as they chase the championship.
Siyanda Ndlovu (Golden Arrows)
With Mbule dropped, while Themba Zwane can’t be fully trusted amid fitness struggles, you’d have expected Broos to use the games against Panama to trial a new No 10 before the World Cup, and Ndlovu is the best candidate. The 23-year-old Ndlovu has the world at his feet, having emerged as one of the best players in the domestic league this season with four goals and seven assists in all competitions for Arrows.
Lebone Seema (Orlando Pirates)
If there’s a player who deserves a Bafana assessment, it’s Seema. The 22-year-old centre-back has been a marvel to watch for Pirates this term. Perhaps Seema is a victim of the country’s oversupply of centre-backs, but he deserves a chance with his brilliant form at Pirates, where he’s hardly missed a game this season.
Grant Kekana (Mamelodi Sundowns)
It’s rather strange that Kekana has never played for Bafana since impressing at the 2024 Afcon in Ivory Coast, where South Africa won bronze. The 31-year-old centre-back has struggled with injuries in the past few months, but he’s managed to redeem himself, proving to be one of the best defenders in the league this season. Bafana can still do with Kekana’s experience going into the World Cup.
Fagrie Lakay (Ceramica Cleopatra, Egypt)
At Afcon in January Bafana learnt the hard way that having two similar profiles of strikers in Evidence Makgopa and Lyle Foster was a bad idea, as it was evident that there was no plan B after they had been found wanting.
Sure, Broos has recalled Iqraam Rayners, who’s a different profile to Foster and Makgopa, but a Lakay would still give Bafana something they’ve been lacking. Lakay, 28, excels at dropping deep to link play, using intelligent movement to exploit spaces behind defenders and providing high-level finishing with both feet and his head. He boasts nine goal-contributions in the Egyptian league this season.
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