Ndamane, Moremi give Broos options for Afcon with bright displays against Ghana

Bafana Bafana have four days to integrate three major foreign-based players and will successfully apply their finishing touches ahead of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) opener against Angola, coach Hugo Broos stressed after a subdued final warm-up win over Ghana.

Shielding some front-line players from injury and fielding some fringe performers who have the potential to play a role in the Afcon in Morocco, Bafana nervously edged a locally based Black Stars 1-0 at Dobsonville Stadium on Tuesday, ahead of their departure for North Africa on Wednesday.

Orlando Pirates’ Sipho Mbule confirmed his role as the immediate replacement for Mamelodi Sundowns veteran Themba Zwane at playmaker with a stunning long-range winning strike in the 57^th minute.

TS Galaxy centreback Khulumani Ndamane and Pirates attacker Tshepang Moremi put their names forward as potential picks.

Broos — who said this week he felt technical aspects had not come to the fore smoothly in training since most of the squad assembled from December 8, due in part to some key foreign-based players arriving late — was not surprised Bafana were edgy against the weakened Ghana.

“Often a game a few days before a big tournament is not the game you want to see,” he said afterwards.

“I am happy with the result ― it’s always better to go to Morocco with a victory than with a draw or defeat. But I think we can do much better than today.

“Maybe next week’s tournament was already playing in the heads of the players [thinking], ‘I don’t want to be injured today.’ And also we had the new boys — it’s a big difference for them to suddenly play at that level.

“But on the other side I am not worried. I know there are a few important players joining us on Thursday and we still have four days to do the finishing touches.

“I’m sure we will be ready next Monday to play Angola.”

Fifa changing the compulsory release date of players from clubs, from December 8 to 15, meant some of Bafana’s foreign brigade ― though not as many as most Afcon big guns, who have predominantly overseas-based squads ― arrived late.

Romania-based Siyabonga Ngezana reported to camp on Sunday while Lyle Foster, Sphephelo Sithole and Shandre Campbell are joining Bafana on Thursday in Marrakesh, where they meet Angola on Monday.

Mbule continued his burgeoning revival from a previously troubled career, inspired by a transfer to an exciting Pirates and by Broos’ national recognition, with Tuesday’s winner.

Every game Khulumani has played [for Bafana] I was satisfied.

—  Hugo Broos

Ndamane was among players who shone and might have put his name forward to play in Afcon, where the partner for Mbekezeli Mbokazi in central defence is still to be determined.

Siyabonga Ngezana and Nkosinathi Sibisi appear to have the inside lane for that place, but Ndamane at least showed Broos again that he is an option when there are injuries and perhaps even when there are not.

“Every game Khulumani has played [for Bafana] I was satisfied,” the coach said.

“I’m very happy with him. I know that if he is not playing and something happens at the back, I can always count on him [off the bench]. He proved again today he deserves to be with us.

“Those are the things that make me happy. Two years ago [at the last Afcon] we won games because there were guys who came in off the bench and decided games.”

Broos steered Bafana, enjoying a revival under the 73-year-old Belgian, to bronze at last year’s Afcon in Ivory Coast, their best finish in 24 years.