South Africa coach Hugo Broos has yet to hand Relebohile Mofokeng his first start of AFCON, but for their clash against Zimbabwe in Marrakesh on Monday, the Orlando Pirates star should be the first name on his team sheet.
South Africa have been crying out for another creative player to unlock tight defences. Sipho Mbule has excelled in this role in recent months, but there have been two games in which it has been abundantly clear that he cannot single-handedly give Bafana Bafana the wizardry needed to stretch well-organised defences.
One was Friday’s 1-0 defeat to a 10-man Egypt, and the other was October’s 0-0 World Cup qualifying draw with none other than Zimbabwe.
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The Warriors are likely to stick with what worked for them in that fixture and shut up shop. Bafana need only a draw to advance to the next round, but they cannot take a clean sheet for granted against a team with players such as Knowledge Musona and Tawanda Chirewa, who can spring surprises with moments of individual brilliance.
If South Africa do find themselves in need of a goal, they cannot afford to be without Mofokeng, who affords them the broadest range of options for unlocking a defence.
The 21-year-old can take on defenders with the ball, hit incisive passes in behind from anywhere on the field, and also arrive in the box himself to apply the finishing touches to attacking moves.
Relebohile Mofokeng is one of South Africa’s most talented and creative players. Relebohile Mofokeng/Instagram
Burnley’s Lyle Foster is a workhorse who presses well, but it was clear in the defeat to Egypt that he needed more support upfront. Mofokeng came on as a 69th minute substitute for Oswin Appollis, but did not have sufficient time to impose himself in his first AFCON appearance.
Adding to the case to start Mofokeng is his versatility. Initially viewed as a winger, he has recently been used by Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou as a no.10.
Mofokeng was beset by injury for many of the early months of this season. Furthermore, Broos claimed in October that speculation about a potential move away from Orlando Pirates “made him crazy” and affected his performances.
However, Mofokeng rediscovered his form for Pirates in the weeks leading up to AFCON, earning a recall from Broos and scoring the winner in the Carling Knockout final against Marumo Gallants.
Mofokeng has demonstrated on several occasions that he is a player who can be trusted in vital fixtures. His breathtaking brace in five minutes during Pirates’ 2-1 March win over Mamelodi Sundowns was the prime example.
That was Mofokeng at the peak of his powers in terms of anything we have seen from him to date. However, the signs have long been present that the version of ‘Rele’ which fans saw that day is back.
That Mofokeng is needed now more than ever – and if Broos opts not to trust him against Zimbabwe, he is unlikely to find quite the same magic elsewhere in his squad.
