Hugo Broos Faces Frustration as Bafana Bafana’s World Cup Preparations in Polokwane Are Disrupted by Patrick Maswanganyi’s Late Injury

Bafana Bafana has gathered in Polokwane to kick off their preparations for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

The national team is set to face off against their neighbors, Lesotho, and then travel to take on Benin.

With one match at home and one away, this international break is crucial for Hugo Broos’ squad as they look to secure their place in the World Cup.

Broos Frustrated by Maswanganyi’s Injury

As Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos looks to navigate the path to the World Cup, his plans have been thrown into disarray with a late injury concern involving Orlando Pirates star Patrick Maswanganyi.

Broos expressed his frustration at the late notice from Pirates regarding the player’s injury.

The Belgian coach was informed about the injury just the evening before, despite Maswanganyi having been injured earlier in the week and unable to play in Pirates’ match against Sundowns.

Broos didn’t hide his irritation, saying, “I am a little bit angry because we only knew about the injury yesterday evening.

I heard Maswanganyi was already injured on Saturday and couldn’t play in the match against Sundowns. This forced us to find a replacement, and our first choice was Sinoxolo Kwayiba from Chippa, but he was also injured.

So, we decided to call up Maphangule, who has been performing well with Polokwane, and he deserves to be here with us. It’s now up to him to make us happy.”

New Faces and Personal Matters

Despite the setback with Maswanganyi, Broos is optimistic about the additions to the squad, including Thabo Moloisane, who is receiving his first national team call-up.

Broos acknowledged the challenges of assembling his squad, mentioning that one key player, Aubrey Modiba, couldn’t join the camp immediately due to a more personal matter—his wife was giving birth.

However, Modiba will join the team later that evening.

In addition, Broos spoke about dealing with injuries and passport issues among the players.

Rushwin Dortley’s injury had been known, but when they tried to bring in Khulumani Ndamane from Galaxy, they discovered he didn’t have a passport.

In the end, Broos decided to replace Dortley with Moloisane, who he believes has earned his spot with his strong performances at Stellenbosch.

“I’m happy with Thabo because he’s been performing well, and he deserves this opportunity. Now, it’s up to him to impress us,” said Broos.

The Big Question: Who Will Play in the Number 10 Role?

With the unexpected injury to Maswanganyi and several players unavailable, there are still big questions about who will step up, especially in the number 10 position.

With Bafana Bafana’s World Cup dreams on the line, the pressure is on to find the right replacements and keep the momentum going.

Who do you think should take on the number 10 role for the upcoming qualifiers? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or by reaching out via email or WhatsApp.