Soccer

Bafana’s strikers short of goals

You are currently viewing Bafana’s strikers short of goals
Emmanuel Imanishimwe of Rwanda challenges Percy Tau of South Africa during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers between Rwanda and South Africa at Huye Stadium in Butare, Rwanda on 21 November 2023 ©Julius Ntare/BackpagePix
  • Post published:January 2, 2024

With Lyle Foster and Lebo Mothiba missing, and Bongi Hlongwane not considered, the obvious question for Bafana Bafana heading into the Africa Cup of Nations finals is where the goals are going to come from in the squad.

Coach Hugo Broos has had his hands tied to a certain extent, but also takes a squad with only 10 players who have netted before at international level, and only one who is into double-figures.

Percy Tau has 14 international goals and you get the feeling Bafana will need him to fire, both as a source of goals and assists, if they are to progress deep into the tournament.

To be fair, he has done it before, scoring some crucial goals for the national team at key moments, and has also been in good form for Al Ahly of late.
The next most prolific player in the squad is Themba Zwane, who probably should have more than his seven goals given his obvious talent, but was inexplicably left out of the national side from time to time.

In an attacking sense, Tau and Zwane are likely the key men for Bafana given their experience. The latter has seen it all on the continent with Mamelodi Sundowns since 2016 at least.

Teboho Mokoena’s thunderbolts from range and deft touches in the box have seen him score four times for Bafana. He is the kind of midfielder who can net a goal from nothing and in tight contents they should be looking to get him on the ball 30 yards from goal.

Then comes the two out-and-out strikers in the squad – the Orlando Pirates duo of Zakhele Lepasa and Evidence Makgopa, who have three goals each. Both have earned 10 caps to date.

They do not necessarily inspire the greatest of confidence, though Makgopa has been scoring fairly regularly for Pirates in recent months after the goals dried up for Lepasa.

Sundowns’ utility man Aubrey Modiba also has three goals, two in the 2018 COSAFA Cup and one against Sierra Leone in a 4-0 friendly win in 2022. His ability from set-pieces could be an asset.

Mihlali Mayambela has netted two goals, and we have a trio of defenders who have been on the scoresheet once – Khuliso Mudau, Mothobi Mvala and Siyanda Xulu.

GOALSCORERS IN BAFANA BAFANA’S AFCON SQUAD
14 goals – Percy Tau
7 – Themba Zwane
4 – Teboho Mokoena
3 – Zakhele Lepasa, Evidence Makgopa, Aubrey Modiba
2 – Mihlali Mayambela
1 – Khuliso Mudau, Mothobi Mvala, Siyanda Xulu