Mbatha, Adams withdrawn from Bafana squad

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has confirmed that Thalente Mbatha and Jayden Adams have been withdrawn from the Bafana Bafana squad to face Congo Brazzaville in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Gqeberha on Friday.

The South African senior men’s national team face the Congolese in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, on Friday, 11 October 2024 (7pm), and then they travel to Congo to play the return match on Tuesday, 15 October 2024.

Broos explained that Mbatha was withdrawn after scans confirmed a knee injury on Monday morning following his team Orlando Pirates’ participation in the MTN8 final in Durban on Saturday.

Adams, who also played in the same match, was withdrawn due to discipline.

Mbatha and Adams will be replaced by Bathusi Aubaas and Sinoxolo Kwayiba.

“I want to see the real South Africa against Congo; we did not see the real South Africa in our last two games (against Uganda and South Sudan)."

"I was not happy with the performance, but I was happy with the result (won 3-2 against South Sudan). I am a little bit less happy when I speak about the result against Uganda because I wanted to win that game,” he said.