Katlego Mphela Urges Pitso Mosimane to Start Yanela Mbuthuma for Bafana Bafana Against Eritrea
Former South Africa international striker Katlego Mphela has urged Bafana Bafana head coach Pitso Mosimane to make a change in attack when South Africa face Eritrea in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. Mphela believes Orlando Pirates forward Yanela Mbuthuma deserves an opportunity to lead the line in the important Group D encounter. The former Mamelodi Sundowns striker feels that introducing Mbuthuma from the start could give the national team a different attacking dimension. His recommendation comes after Bafana Bafana defeated Guinea 2-1 in their opening qualifier, despite both goals coming from defenders. With South Africa now preparing for another competitive fixture, the discussion around the team’s attacking options has become increasingly important.
Mphela has direct experience of playing under Mosimane, having been part of the Bafana Bafana setup during the coach’s first spell in charge of the national team. That background gives his comments additional context as he assesses the current attacking options available to the coach. Mphela believes the time is right for Mosimane to give Mbuthuma a chance after the Orlando Pirates forward was introduced from the bench against Guinea. The former international striker has pointed to the youngster’s potential and the confidence he may have gained from the trust shown by the national team coach. For Mphela, giving Mbuthuma a starting opportunity would allow the coaching staff to see how he performs when given responsibility from the opening whistle.
“I’d say give Mbuthuma a chance,” Mphela said when discussing the striker options available to Bafana Bafana. He acknowledged that Iqraam Rayners performed reasonably well against Guinea but argued that the Mamelodi Sundowns forward did not receive many opportunities in front of goal. Mphela therefore believes Mbuthuma could offer something different to the attack against Eritrea. He also suggested that Mosimane’s belief in the young Orlando Pirates player could have helped improve his confidence. The former striker’s view is that Mbuthuma has earned the opportunity to show what he can do from the beginning of a competitive international match.
The call for a change comes against the backdrop of a notable goal-scoring statistic for Bafana Bafana. According to the information surrounding the team, South Africa have gone five consecutive matches without a goal from a recognised forward. Lyle Foster was the last striker to score for the national team, finding the net in a 1-1 draw against Jamaica during a behind-closed-doors friendly in Mexico in June. Foster is currently unavailable, leaving Rayners among the main attacking options for the current international assignment. The situation has increased the pressure on the available forwards to convert their opportunities and provide goals from the front line.
Rayners started as the central striker in South Africa’s 2-1 victory over Guinea. Although he did not get on the scoresheet, his involvement formed part of an attacking structure that helped Bafana Bafana secure an important opening victory. The two South African goals came from defenders Ime Okon and Samukelo Kabini, highlighting the contribution of players from outside the forward line. Rayners was replaced in the 68th minute, with Mbuthuma coming on as his replacement. That substitution gave Mbuthuma an opportunity to experience international football in a competitive match and could now influence the debate over who should start against Eritrea.
Mphela believes Rayners can still play an important role even if he does not start the match. The former Bafana Bafana striker pointed to Rayners’ ability to make an impact when introduced from the bench. A starting role for Mbuthuma would therefore not necessarily mean that Rayners is removed from the team’s attacking plans. Instead, the two players could have different responsibilities depending on how Mosimane approaches the match. Rayners could provide energy and attacking quality later in the game, while Mbuthuma would have the opportunity to establish himself against Eritrea from the first minute.
Mbuthuma’s potential promotion to the starting lineup would also represent another important step in his international development. Playing for Orlando Pirates has given the forward exposure to the demands of senior club football, but international football presents different challenges. The pace, tactical requirements and pressure of representing Bafana Bafana can test young players in ways that domestic matches cannot always replicate. A starting appearance would give Mbuthuma a longer period to adjust to those demands and demonstrate his ability to influence the game. It would also give Mosimane more information about how the striker performs when given an extended opportunity at international level.
South Africa’s attacking concerns cannot be separated from the importance of the result against Eritrea. Bafana Bafana began their Group D campaign with a 2-1 victory over Guinea and will want to build on that positive start. Another three points would strengthen the team’s position early in the qualification campaign and maintain the momentum created by the opening win. However, South Africa will need to find a way to produce more consistent attacking contributions if they want their forwards to have a greater influence on matches. The absence of a recent goal from a recognised striker makes the performance of the attacking unit one of the key talking points before the Eritrea fixture.
Mphela has also warned against assuming that the match will be straightforward. Eritrea are currently ranked 184th in the FIFA world rankings, but the former Bafana Bafana striker believes South Africa must approach the fixture with the appropriate level of concentration. International football has repeatedly shown that matches against teams with lower rankings can present unexpected challenges. The quality within the South African squad creates expectations, but those expectations do not guarantee a comfortable result. Mphela therefore believes the players must combine their technical ability with the right mentality when they take to the field.
The Eritrea match is being played in Cairo, Egypt, rather than Eritrea because the East African nation does not currently have a CAF-accredited venue available to host the qualifier. That unusual arrangement means Bafana Bafana will face Eritrea away from their home country. The match will take place at the Al-Salam Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 18h00 South African time. Playing outside Eritrea changes the traditional home and away dynamic, although the Eritrean team remains the designated home side for the fixture. South Africa will need to focus on the match itself and avoid being distracted by the unusual circumstances surrounding the venue.
Mphela’s comments also highlight the importance of taking qualification matches seriously regardless of the opponent’s ranking. Bafana Bafana have a squad containing players with considerable domestic and international experience, but every qualifier still requires preparation and concentration. Eritrea already demonstrated their ability to compete in Group D by earning a 1-1 draw against Kenya in their opening fixture. That result means they will enter the match with confidence and a point already secured. South Africa will therefore need to produce a disciplined performance if they want to continue their winning start to the campaign.
The decision over whether to start Mbuthuma will ultimately rest with Mosimane and his coaching staff. The coach must assess the striker’s training performances, tactical suitability and readiness for a starting role before selecting his lineup. Mphela’s recommendation adds another voice to the discussion, particularly because he understands the demands of playing as a striker for Bafana Bafana. The former international believes Mbuthuma has enough potential to deserve the opportunity, while Rayners remains an important option after starting against Guinea. The choice will give Mosimane another chance to shape the team’s attacking approach according to the demands of the Eritrea match.
For Mbuthuma, a starting appearance would provide a significant opportunity to make an impression on the international stage. The Orlando Pirates forward has already experienced competitive Bafana Bafana football after coming on against Guinea. Starting against Eritrea would give him the chance to build on that experience and show whether he can handle the responsibility of leading the attack. It would also allow him to work with the national team’s attacking players for a longer period during the match. A strong performance could give Mosimane additional confidence in Mbuthuma as the qualification campaign continues.
Bafana Bafana will enter the match knowing that attacking improvement remains an important objective. The victory over Guinea provided the desired three points, but the contribution from the forwards was limited by the chances created and converted. With Foster unavailable, Mosimane has to assess the options available to him and decide how best to create a consistent attacking threat. Mphela’s recommendation places Mbuthuma at the centre of that discussion, while Rayners remains an experienced alternative who can influence the game from the starting lineup or the bench. The key issue is finding an attacking combination that gives South Africa enough threat while maintaining the tactical balance of the team.
The match against Eritrea will therefore provide another test of South Africa’s progress under Mosimane. Bafana Bafana have already made a winning start to their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, but the squad still has areas that require attention. The performance of the forwards will be closely watched, particularly after Mphela highlighted the lack of recent goals from recognised strikers. Whether Mosimane chooses to respond by starting Mbuthuma or retains Rayners in the role, the attacking players will have an opportunity to make their contribution count. For Mbuthuma in particular, the match could become an important moment as he looks to establish himself as a serious option for Bafana Bafana.
