Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has called up a Kaizer Chiefs player just a few days after he said no player in the current Kaizer Chiefs squad deserves to be in the senior national team.
His hand forced by the injury on Saturday of Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Themba Zwane, Broos called Pule Mmodi to the squad.
During his squad announcement last week, Broos stated that the quality at Chiefs was not good enough after he didn’t call any player for the upcoming international friendlies against Namibia on Saturday and DR Congo on September 12, both at Orlando Stadium.
Both matches are part of Broos’ preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Ivory Coast in January and for the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers, which start in November.
Zwane suffered a head injury that left him bleeding in Mamelodi Sundowns' 1-1 draw with Chiefs in the MTN8 semifinals first leg at FNB Stadium on Saturday. He was stretchered off in the 37th minute.
Mmodi has been a breath of fresh air in the Amakhosi attack since leaving Golden Arrows in July and is proving to be a worthy investment for a club that is on a mission to end its eight-year trophy drought.
The 30-year-old has already scored three goals, a brace against AmaZulu during their 3-0 win before netting a beautiful goal against Stellenbosch in their 2-0 win in the DStv Premiership matches.
He had fallen down the pecking order of Broos’ squad selection in recent months while at Arrows, but his recent performances saw him return to the national team again.
After the game on Saturday, Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena urged Broos to withdraw Zwane from the squad and should be pleased to see him being rested as he requested.
“We’ve got a Fifa break now and fortunately also with Bafana...because we also want Bafana to do well and they need Mshishi but fortunately it’s friendlies,” Mokwena said.
“Although those games are important, the health and the safety of a player like Mshishi is probably more important at this stage than a performance against Congo and Namibia.
“Hopefully, he is able to get some rest because clearly with a concussion it’s for the next 10, 14 days.”
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