Fresh from getting his first taste of senior national team football with Bafana Bafana early this week, Mduduzi Shabalala joined his Kaizer Chiefs teammates on their flight to the DR Congo on Thursday.
Amakhosi face AS Simba in the first leg of their CAF Confederations Cup second preliminary round at the TP Mazembe Stadium in Lubumbashi on Saturday. The game is not being televised but will get under way at 3pm.
Having previously represented the country at the junior level, Shabalala was handed his first senior Bafana cap by coach Hugo Broos.
Grateful for the chance
The Chiefs dribbling wizard came on as an 88th-minute substitute at the Mbombela Stadium during their 3-0 win that earned Bafana a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the Americas.
“It was a great moment for me in my career because it is everyone’s dream to play for their country, so I am very glad that I got some minutes on that day,” Shabalala told Chiefs media.
“I have always wanted to be part of the main national team squad, and I had to go through various tournaments at different levels to get here, and I am very grateful for the opportunity.”
Club win equally critical
The 21-year-old is now looking to carry that positivity into Amakhosi’s crucial Confederations Cup tie against Simba this weekend, where victory over two legs will ensure them a place in the group stage of the competition.
“Obviously, it is a big game for us. We need to win to qualify for the next stage. It will be tough because we are away in the first leg.
“But the pressure is on them, and we want to win, or at least score in this game to give us an advantage going into the second leg at home. If we take our chances, we can go into the second leg with less pressure.
“We are aware of the conditions, and although it won’t be easy, we are familiar with playing in hot weather.
“As far as the pitch is concerned, we just must go out there and make the most of the situation. At the end of the day, we must go and win a football match,” Shabalala added.
