Legendary Bafana Bafana defender Mark Fish doubts having a new central defensive pairing will trouble the national team when they face Lesotho in a World Cup qualifier at Free State Stadium on Friday (6pm).
Bafana’s tried and tested centre-backs, Mothobi Mvala, Grant Kekana and Nkosinathi Sibisi, are not part of the camp, as they have been struggling with injuries.
This means coach Hugo Broos will have to establish a new central-defensive pairing as all the centre-backs at his disposal haven’t played together before. “What I know for sure is that Broos knows what he’s doing,” Fish told Sowetan.
“The centre-backs he has chosen have shown their qualities at their clubs, so I’m confident there won’t be any problems at all. Every player knows the importance of winning this game, so I believe no-one would want to put their foot wrong.”
Quizzed about who Broos should pick as his two starting centre-backs, the retired centre-back, who won over 60 Bafana caps, insisted every centre-back in the squad was capable of doing the job. “I can’t choose players for a coach like Broos, who has proven that he knows what he’s doing,” Fish said.
“The pool of centre-backs we have is talented and, for me, every one of them is top class. You look at [Siyabonga] Ngezana, he’s been doing so well in Romania [for FCSB] and there’s [Mbekezeli] Mbokazi, [Thabo] Moloisane who have been great for Pirates and Stellies in the PSL this season.”
Leading up to the Lesotho game, Broos had been speaking fondly of the 19-year-old Mbokazi, raising expectations that he will start him, alongside the most experienced centre-back in the team, Ngezana.
Bafana’s next World Cup qualifier is against Nigeria at the same venue on Tuesday (6pm).
SA, who could still be docked three points for fielding suspended Teboho Mokoena in their 2-0 win over Likuena in Polokwane in March, lead Group C of the CAF qualifiers with 13 points – five points ahead of second-placed Rwanda, who are level on points, with Benin third.
Meanwhile, Bafana playing a day earlier than Nigeria, who will host second-placed Rwanda in Uyo on Saturday, puts more pressure on the Super Eagles, as beating Lesotho would see Bafana lead the West Africans by nine points.
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