Hugo Broos welcomes back Bafana star after eight months

South Africa's Bafana Bafana are 180 minutes away from qualifying for the FIFA 2026 World Cup despite FIFA docking three points, thanks to the Teboho Mokoena suspension saga.

Sphephelo Sithole, based in Portugal at CD Tondela, is back since his career-threatening injury at Afcon in February.

"I am very happy that we could replace Yaya for a year,” Broos told journalists.

“When you see what Yaya did for the team and how important he was the moment he was injured, then as a coach you start thinking, how am I going to replace that guy? Because he was important, he became important for the team.

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“But we did it very well and the boys who replaced him did it very well over the last year, and that made our group bigger and gave us more options than before his injury," the Belgian added.

Coach Hugo Broos' side will face Zimbabwe on Friday, 10 October at the Moses Mabhida Stadium at 19:00, before Rwanda on Tuesday, 14 October at the Mbombela Stadium at 18:00.