Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos is a big fan of Zakhele Lepasa and he is surprised by the striker’s lack of game time at club level.

Lepasa debuted for the national team in Bafana’s 4-0 victory over Sierra Leone in an international friendly on 2 June 2019 under then-coach Stuart Baxter.

The 26-year-old has gone on to feature six times for Bafana under current coach Broos while scoring three goals in the process.

Lepasa played a huge role in helping South Africa qualify for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast after scoring the winning goal in their 2-1 win over Morocco in their final group stage match during the qualifiers.

The striker is now set to return to Orlando Pirates after his loan spell at SuperSport United ended but Broos is worried that his lack of game time at a club level will affect his form for the national team.

“I said it already in the past, Zakhele is always a player in his club who has problems. He didn’t play in Pirates, now with SuperSport he doesn’t play every game or parts of the game and I really don’t understand it,” Broos said as per SABC Sport.

“You see I give him confidence because I know he’s a good striker. He’s a good striker but you have to give him confidence, first of all. He still has to improve but I’m very happy with him.

“Every game he played; he made an important goal in Liberia so I don’t think for defenders it’s nice to play against him. He’s quick.

“We always ask him ‘Zakhele go deep, you’re quick’ and he did it. I’m very happy with him and for me, it’s a little surprising that he’s really not a standard player in his clubs.”

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