Orlando Pirates midfielder Sipho Mbule has expressed delight at having been called up for the two crucial upcoming Bafana Bafana 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier matches.
Mbule was called as a replacement for Pirates teammate Patrick “Tito” Maswanganyi, who withdrew from the squad due to an injury he picked up against Chippa United on Sunday.
“I am thrilled to be back in the national team. As you all know, it’s been a while since we were wearing national team colours.
“I am glad to have worked my way back to the national team. Now it’s for me to work again and stay here,” Mbule told the Pirates media.
Bafana will first face off against neighbouring Lesotho at the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium before a mouthwatering encounter against rivals Nigeria next Tuesday at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein.
Maswanganyi’s replacement
“We all know how important these two games are for our country. So, we want to win both games and qualify for the World Cup next year,” Mbule said.
In just a handful of matches since making a surprise switch to the Buccaneers at the start of the season, the 28-year-old skilled midfielder has immediately made an impact and captured the attention of national team coach Hugo Broos.
Broos has explained why he had to pick Mbule as Maswanganyi’s replacement, stating that he has the potential to fill in the big shoes of the ageing midfield maestro Themba Zwane.
“He [Maswanganyi’s replacement] is Mbule. Why Mbule? I think everybody agrees that he’s a player with many qualities, and I must also agree that in the past years we didn’t really see what we expected from a player like that, but he’s an experienced player,” Broos told the media during a press conference at Dobsonville Stadium on Monday.
“For more than a year, we searched for a replacement for Themba and found Tito; however, now that Tito is also injured, it has become difficult to find someone with those qualities. I believe that with Mbule, we have the right player in the right position.”
