Having had a couple of trips on the continent with Stellenbosch FC this season, defender Thabo Moloisane says that experience will come in handy if he is selected to play for Bafana Bafana.
Bafana will travel to Benin four days after their Fifa World Cup qualifier match against Lesotho at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Friday.
Moloisane, who got his first Bafana call-up from coach Hugo Broos, said that he feels the experience he gained with Stellies in the CAF Confederation Cup this season will help him navigate his way with Bafana when they travel to Benin next week.
Level on points with Rwanda
“It’s very important going to the national team having had experience on the continent. You kind of have a bit of what is required at this level and have a proper judgement of what is expected from you,” the 26-year-old defender said.
“There’s a lot of challenges playing on the continent, and it gives me a chance to be properly prepared for the international stage.
“I think [also] with the Cosafa Cup you get what it takes to be in the Bafana team. I was with coach Helman Mkhalele and coach Thabo Senong; they made sure we understood what it meant to be continuously in the team.”
South Africa is currently sitting at number two in Group C and level on seven points with leaders Rwanda, who are on top due to a better goal difference.
Broos and his charges will be targeting six points in the two matches, which will put Bafana in a strong position to qualify for the showpiece set to be staged in three countries: the USA, Canada, and Mexico in June 2026.
These will be difficult games
Broos said: “If we can achieve two victories against Lesotho and Benin, then I think we can make a big step in qualification, certainly also taking into account the other games in the group.”
“We will try to do it, and on the other side, we know that these will be difficult games. Lesotho is a team that fights for each other. They fight for each other; they fight for each metre and every ball.
“And then we have the game outside of the country against Benin. The only advantage we have here is that Benin is playing in Ivory Coast, so a big crowd and their supporters will not be there. That is a little advantage for us.”
Later in 2025, Bafana will play four matches against Lesotho (away), Nigeria (home), Zimbabwe (away), and Rwanda (home).
