Pitso Mosimane Told What to Do After Bafana Bafana Suffered Major Setback Ahead of Guinea Clash
- Bafana Bafana defender Nkosinathi Sibisi was ruled out of the 2027 AFCON Qualifying opener against Guinea through injury
- Sibisi's absence compounds a defensive crisis for Pitso Mosimane, with Mbekezeli Mbokazi also missing from the squad due to injury
- A football analyst spoke exclusively to Briefly News and offered Mosimane a specific solution for the centre-back pairing
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Bafana Bafana head coach Pitso Mosimane faces a defensive headache ahead of Saturday's 2027 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying opener against Guinea, with experienced centre-back Nkosinathi Sibisi confirmed as unavailable through injury. The news puts added pressure on Mosimane to find a reliable pairing at the back for one of the most anticipated fixtures in South Africa's new qualifying campaign.
Sibisi is widely regarded as one of the senior pillars of the Bafana Bafana backline. He has been part of the national team setup for five years, having featured in the very first squad assembled under Hugo Broos when the Belgian took charge. His experience and familiarity with the defensive structure make his absence a significant setback.
Double Blow for Mosimane's Defence
The situation is made more complicated by the fact that Mbekezeli Mbokazi has also been left out of the squad due to injury. That means Mosimane must put together a new centre-back partnership from players without the established chemistry that Broos built during the World Cup campaign.
Football analyst Themba Modise addressed the selection challenge in an exclusive conversation with Briefly News.
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"Sibisi is an important figure in the backline for Bafana Bafana, him being ruled out with injury means Mosimane would have two new centre backs to pair different from the ones Hugo Broos used at the World Cup," Modise said.
He acknowledged the compounding nature of the problem.
"It double issue for Pitso, with Mbekezeli Mbokazi not making the squad also due to injury, but we have defenders who are in from in the early stages of this season."
Modise's Recommended Pairing
Despite the setbacks, Modise believes Mosimane has enough quality in the squad to cover the gap, and offered a clear recommendation for the Guinea fixture.
"It's good that Pitso have loads of options to pick from, but I would suggest he pairs Olwethu Makhanya and Ime Okon in centre back position, or if he needs a left-footed CB then he goes with Khulumani Ndamane," the analyst said.
Both Makhanya and Okon have been in form early in the domestic season, which Modise believes gives Mosimane confidence to select them at international level without hesitation. Ndamane offers an alternative profile if the coach decides the balance of the pairing requires a left-footed option.
South Africa's AFCON qualifying campaign gets under way on Saturday, and the choice of who partners in central defence could define the tone of the group stage.
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Source: Briefly News
