Bafana coach Broos has tough decision on replacing injured goalkeeper Ronwen Williams

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has a decision to make regarding who is going to replace captain and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams. 

Bafana take on Uganda in their crucial Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier at Orlando Stadium, with Broos having to choose between Ricardo Goss of SuperSport United, Veli Mothwa of AmaZulu and Sipho Chaine of Orlando Pirates. 

Asked if he had decided on the replacement for Williams, Broos played his cards close to his chest, but indications are he may go with Chaine, who has played in four matches so far this season. 

Chaine has featured in two matches in the MTN8 and Champions League preliminaries for the Buccaneers while Goss has played in one match and Mothwa is yet to taste official matches. 

“The only thing I can do is to give them confidence, that’s all,” said Broos, adding it is not going to be easy to replace Williams, who has been nominated for Fifa's Ballon d'Or Yashin Trophy. 

“I believe in all the guys who are there as goalkeepers. As to who will be between the posts against Uganda, you will know on Friday when the game starts. Whoever will be the goalkeeper, I will have confidence in him. 

“I know it will not be easy to replace a guy like Ronwen Williams, but he is not here with us. With all the performances and good things he has done for this team, we can’t count on him for these two matches.” 

Broos said the technical team has to show confidence in the player who is chosen. 

“We have to put our belief and confidence in the goalkeeper who will play the game on Friday and I am not afraid. It will not be an excuse after the game, if he doesn’t succeed, to say Ronwen was not there. 

“We have 23 players in the squad. You have seen in the past that players who were on the bench sometimes decided the game. Let’s go to June in the game against Zimbabwe, Thapelo Morena came in and he scored twice and we won the game. 

“Players on the bench are as important as the guys who are on the pitch. It will be a goalkeeper who was on the bench in the previous game and they got a chance. That’s okay, no problem for me.”