Pitso Mosimane Questioned Over Leaving Mbekezeli Mbokazi on the Bench Against Kenya
Former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper coach Grant Johnson has spoken out about Mbekezeli Mbokazi's absence from Bafana's starting line-up in Friday's AFCON qualifier against Kenya, stating unequivocally that the 21-year-old is the country's best defender.
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Pitso Mosimane's side were held to a 2-2 draw by the Harambee Stars at the Orlando Amstel Arena, with a late Kenyan goal denying South Africa all three points in what proved to be a frustrating outing for the hosts.
**Johnson Rates Mbokazi Above All Others**
Speaking on SoccerBeat, Johnson suggested Bafana showed signs of complacency after taking the lead, particularly in the second half. "I think in some instances we were a little bit too casual. Some of our passing was not as accurate as it should be, and we became a bit complacent, especially in the second half," he said.
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When asked whether Mbokazi's presence could have altered the outcome, Johnson acknowledged the complexity of the situation while standing firmly behind the defender's quality. "It's a difficult one. He is our best defender by far. He just came back from injury, so that puts a spanner in the works," he said.
Mbokazi had missed Bafana's previous AFCON qualifying fixtures against Eritrea and Guinea through injury. Johnson also pointed to the logistical challenges of travelling from the United States as a possible factor in Mosimane's team selection. "Also, the distance from America. We had quite a few players who struggled with the travel from America to here. It's not just the distance, it's the time zone difference as well. Your sleeping patterns are out, so you have to take all these things into consideration when selecting your team," he added.
Despite his reservations, Johnson acknowledged that the coaching staff would have assessed Mbokazi's physical state before making a call. "He is our best defender. I would have played him, but we don't know what happens inside the camp and how he was feeling. I'm sure the coach asked how he was feeling," he said.
**Analyst Defends Mosimane's Bench Decision**
Football analyst Moses Mbogo offered a different perspective in an exclusive interview with Briefly News, dismissing criticism of Mosimane's decision. "I don't understand why they are questioning Mosimane's decision to bench Mbokazi. This boy is just coming from injury, and you can just break a duo who won you all games in the last qualifiers, and the way the game was going Bafana Bafana needed attackers to win the game no defenders," Mbogo said.
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Source: Briefly News
