Bafana Bafana's coach Pitso Mosimane prepares for match against Eritrea in Egypt

The coach of the Bafana Bafana national team, Pitsa Mosimane, expressed high praise for Oswin Apollos for his impressive performance during the team's convincing 5-0 victory over Eritrea on Wednesday evening. He also called Relebokhile Mofokeng a top-class player.

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Relebokhile Mofokeng became a central figure in Bafana Bafana's bright victory over Eritrea. Previously, Mosimane had criticized Apollos after the match against Guinea, stating that the player needed to contribute more to the team's defensive actions and not play exclusively in his usual style at Orlando Pirates.

However, in the second qualifying match against Eritrea, held at Al-Salam Stadium in Cairo, Apollos demonstrated one of his best performances for Bafana, playing with composure and showing strong connection with his teammates. He provided an assist to Mofokeng and was involved in the scoring by Ikraam Reyners and Luther Singa.

Mosimane noted his satisfaction with Apollos's game, stating: 'I am satisfied with three assists from Apollos. He can play anywhere—on the flanks, cutting inside, and all that.'

The coach added that Apollos is a good player and helped Luther Singa get an opportunity for a strong return after a long absence.

Singa, who returned to the Bafana squad after a five-year break, effectively utilized his time, quickly forming combinations with the rest of the attacking line. Mosimane emphasized the importance of teamwork, noting: 'Even Luther scored two good goals, which shows that the players are united and there is no selfishness. It is all about teamwork.'

The evening belonged to Mofokeng. The young forward showed his maturity, applying valuable skills gained at the club level with Royal Union Saint-Gilloise in the national team. Mofokeng first capitalized on an assist from Apollos early in the first half to score the first goal from close range. He then completed a brace with his characteristic calm and skill, beating defenders before sending the ball past goalkeeper Jonathan Sultana.

In conclusion, Mosimane stated: 'Rele showed his class. What class. Rele is a top player!' Shephelo Sithole and Ikraam Reyners were also involved in the scoring. Mosimane hopes that the team will continue this successful run in the upcoming friendly match against Egypt at the Cairo International Stadium on Sunday.

Despite Bafana's team missing several scoring opportunities in the match against Guinea, head coach Pitsso Mosimane refused to criticize his players, instead highly praising their commitment to pressing and attacking intentions.

Mosimane acknowledged Bafana's long-standing problem with finishing attacks after South Africa missed several chances in the 2-1 victory over Guinea in the first qualifying match for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. The team dominated significant portions of the game at the Orlando Amstel Arena stadium on Saturday and created enough opportunities to secure the win even before they ultimately took all three points.

Ime Okon opened the scoring in the first half, but Guinea equalized through Seydouba Sisse. Substitute Samukelo Kabini restored Bafana's lead in the 77th minute. Despite the missed chances, Mosimane was reluctant to criticize his footballers, emphasizing their readiness to create attacks.

He noted: 'We know the South African challenge: we don't score easily, maybe two out of six.' He continued, highlighting the team's positive aspects: 'But you can't complain about the guys. They have the right attitude, they want to play, they fight and press, and we created chances. Sometimes we complain about the lack of goals, but we shouldn't complain when we create chances, because sometimes you don't score just because you don't create them.'

These remarks point to an ongoing issue that Mosimane intends to address during the Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign. South Africa could have made the result undeniable much earlier, especially after controlling the first half and creating numerous chances. Instead, Guinea remained in the game after Sisse's equalizer, forcing Bafana to rely on Kabini's late goal for the victory.

Nevertheless, for Mosimane, the ability to consistently create chances serves as a solid foundation for further development. Bafana started the campaign with three points in the difficult Group D, where Kenya's automatic qualification as one of the host countries for the 2027 tournament leaves South Africa, Guinea, and Eritrea fighting for the remaining group spot.

Now Mosimane will focus on Eritrea, as Bafana will face them in Egypt on September 30th. Although this result provided an ideal start to his second term as coach, improving South Africa's efficiency in front of goal could prove as important as creating these chances in upcoming matches.