A big concern has been shared about Mamelodi Sundowns’ inconsistent form, with the fear that Bafana Bafana will be massively impacted with the AFCON finals slowly approaching.
For the time being, Bafana are set to play Lesotho on Friday and then Nigeria on September 9, in crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
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Hugo Broos’ men have already faced a setback with the withdrawal of both Ime Okon and Patrick Maswanganyi due to injuries.
"The withdrawal of these two players won't be a big issue because as Bafana Bafana have a wealth of talent to choose from," notes ex-goalkeeper John Tlale.
"However, to be honest, I predict we will only secure four points from these two games – a win against Lesotho and a draw against Nigeria.
"The reason for this is that some of the players from Sundowns are not performing at the level we know they can. Those players are often the key contributors for Bafana.
"When players start to drop in form, it affects their confidence.
“The current performance of Sundowns indicates that they are not the same players we once saw.
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"The more Sundowns' form declines, the more it will impact Bafana, as many Sundowns players make up the core of the national team.
"Khuliso Mudau isn't seeing playing time at Sundowns, (Teboho) Mokoena didn't play last week, and (Aubrey) Modiba is not the same player he used to be," says the three-time league winner with The Brazilians.
Both of Bafana’s upcoming matches, at Dr. Petrus Molemela Stadium and Free State Stadium, kick off at 18:00.
Photo by Daniel Hlongwane/Gallo Images
