Retired Bafana Bafana star Siyabonga Nomvethe is convinced that South Africa’s strikers will come through and do the job when coach Hugo Broos’ side face Mexico in the opening match at the Azteca Stadium on Thursday.
Bafana will be under tremendous pressure with the partisan, full-house crowd behind their home team on Thursday. It will almost be a repeat of the 2010 World Cup, where the two teams opened the curtains at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, where the match ended in a 1-1 draw.
Nomvethe, who was part of that team 16 years ago, is one of the best players of his generation. He was a fearless, hard-running forward who took on defenders, created goals for his teammates, and netted many goals for his clubs and national team.
‘We have three top strikers who are very good’
As a former striker himself, Nomvethe spoke about the SA strikeforce ahead of Thursday’s match. “The final decision with the strikers lies with the coach. We have three top strikers who are very good, and I believe they can do the job. The coach will have to think about who is going to start because we definitely need to win the game. We cannot afford to defend, so he must prepare his team well and know who is going to bring the goals for us.
The three strikers Nomvethe was talking about are Lyle Foster, Iqraam Rayners and Evidence Makgopa.
Nomvethe was speaking after an exhibition SA 2010 Legends v Mexico 2010 Legends at the Estadio Hidalgo in Pachuca, Mexico, on Sunday.
“Mexico are playing in front of their fans, and we will need players who are strong physically and mentally. Mexico will push everyone forward because they will need a goal and we have to be well-prepared. Even if we get a draw, that one point will be very important. I am sure the boys will put up a fight, they know what we are looking for as a country, and we are fully behind the team,” he added.
About the disappointment of the Jamaica friendly match that was played behind closed doors, Nomvethe said that he understands what could have happened: “I understand and because it was a friendly match, you cannot judge the players from a friendly match. I am sure they will play at a higher level in the official match and we will see something different in the opening game,” he added.
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Broos disappointed with Bafana’s poor performance against Jamaica
- Retired Bafana Bafana striker Siyabonga Nomvethe is confident South Africa’s forwards will perform well against Mexico in their opening match at the Azteca Stadium.
- Nomvethe highlighted three key strikers—Lyle Foster, Iqraam Rayners, and Evidence Makgopa—believing they can deliver goals for the team.
- He acknowledged the challenge of playing Mexico at home with a passionate crowd and emphasized the need for both physical and mental strength.
- Despite a disappointing friendly against Jamaica, Nomvethe urged patience, noting players often perform better in official matches.
- The match mirrors the 2010 World Cup opener between South Africa and Mexico, which ended in a 1-1 draw, and Nomvethe stressed the importance of securing at least a point in the tough environment.
Retired Bafana Bafana star
Bafana will be under tremendous pressure with the partisan, full-house crowd behind their home team on
As a former striker himself,
“Mexico are playing in front of their fans, and we will need players who are strong physically and mentally. Mexico will push everyone forward because they will need a goal and we have to be well-prepared. Even if we get a draw, that one point will be very important. I am sure the boys will put up a fight, they know what we are looking for as a country, and we are fully behind the team,” he added.
About the disappointment of the Jamaica friendly match that was played behind closed doors,
Read more:
Broos disappointed with Bafana's poor performance against Jamaica
