Lesotho will want to prove a point – Broos

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has suggested he expects Lesotho to aim to prove a point as SA's neighbours when the two teams meet in a World Cup qualifier at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Friday (6pm).

Bafana are second in Group C of the CAF World Cup qualifiers, tied on points with leaders Rwanda, who have a better goal difference after four games. Rwanda were hugely helped by stunning Bafana 2-0 at home in November 2023.

"Lesotho are a team that really fight for each other. They fight for each and every ball in every metre and they're playing against SA. They can always do something more against SA than against other teams because they are neighbours. It will be a tough game,'' Broos said.

For the current camp, Broos is without one of his trusted centre-backs, Rushwin Dortley of Kaizer Chiefs, who's currently recovering from an knee injury, having recently gone under the knife. Siyabonga Ngezana of Romanian giants FCSB and Mamelodi Sundowns' Grant Kekana are expected to partner at the heart of defence as Broos said Dortley's unavailability wasn't an issue. 

"We're strong enough with the defenders we have, so for me it [Dortley's absence] is not a problem for the moment,'' the Bafana coach said.

Broos also emphasised that all the players he called up deserve to be part of the team, underlining that no one can influence his selection. Bafana will face Benin in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, next Tuesday in another World Cup qualifier. The game was moved from Benin as their stadiums don't meet CAF requirements to host matches.

"When a player is ready, I will call him even if he's from Chippa [United], Sundowns or Polokwane [City]. Secondly, it will always be me who chooses who's in the national team. You can say what you want, if I don't want to call up a player, I will not call him up... all these players are here because they deserve it, not because one or another journalist or chairman wants them to be in the national team,'' Broos insisted stated.

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