Pitso Mosimane has made a winning return to the Bafana Bafana dugout, but his second spell in charge is already presenting questions that will require answers in the coming matches.
South Africa opened their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a 2-1 victory over Guinea at Orlando Stadium on Saturday, 26 September. The result gave Mosimane three points in his first competitive match since returning to the national team.
The victory also maintained South Africa’s position at the top of their qualifying group, although the early success came with several issues for the new coach to consider.
Mosimane keeps faith with World Cup core
One of the biggest talking points ahead of Mosimane’s return was whether he would make major changes to the squad that helped Bafana Bafana progress beyond the FIFA World Cup group stage for the first time under former coach Hugo Broos.
Instead, Mosimane opted to retain much of the core group, giving continuity to a team that had recently enjoyed a historic campaign.
That decision received an early boost when South Africa overcame Guinea in front of the home crowd.
Kabini delivers decisive moment
Bafana Bafana took the lead in the 30th minute when Ime Okon found the back of the net.
Guinea responded after the break, with Seydouba Cisse restoring parity and putting pressure on the hosts.
South Africa eventually found the breakthrough again in the 77th minute when Samukele Kabini scored the decisive goal.
The result left Bafana at the summit of their qualifying pool and gave Mosimane a positive start to his return.
Injuries raise concerns over squad depth
The victory was accompanied by fresh concerns over player availability.
Aubrey Modiba suffered a tight hamstring during the match and is now a doubt for the upcoming encounter with Eritrea. Nkosinathi Sibisi is also facing uncertainty after picking up a knock in training.
The growing injury list could provide an early indication of how much depth Mosimane has at his disposal.
Lebohang Maboe, Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Khuliso Mudau are among the other players currently sidelined, further reducing the options available to the coach.
Mosimane points to strength in numbers
Speaking after the Guinea match, Mosimane acknowledged the injury problems but pointed to the size of his squad as a source of cover.
“Aubrey’s got a tight hamstring, which is not nice for us, but at least we still have Basadien, right? And we still have Kabini,” Mosimane said.
He added that the squad included 30 players and warned that further absences could occur as the qualification campaign progresses.
The comments underline one of the immediate challenges facing the coach: maintaining results while managing player availability.
Eritrea provides another early examination
South Africa’s next qualifying assignment against Eritrea will offer Mosimane another opportunity to assess his squad.
The match will be played in Cairo on Wednesday, 30 September, at 18:00 after Eritrea was unable to provide a suitable venue for the fixture. Playing at a neutral venue could create a different challenge from the opening home fixture against Guinea.
South Africa enter the game with three points already secured, while Kenya drew with Eritrea in Nairobi after Ryan Ogam scored a late equaliser for the Harambee Stars.
Kenya, who are co-hosts of the 2027 AFCON and therefore already guaranteed a place at the tournament, are scheduled to face Guinea in Conakry on Thursday.
Egypt friendly adds to demanding schedule
Mosimane’s return will also include a high-profile fixture outside the AFCON qualifiers.
After the Eritrea match, Bafana Bafana will remain in Cairo before facing Egypt in an international friendly on 4 October at 20:00.
The fixture will give Mosimane another opportunity to assess his players and experiment with his squad as he prepares for the longer-term challenges of his second tenure.
For now, however, the immediate focus remains on Eritrea and whether South Africa can build on the winning start made against Guinea.
