Star player Themba “Mshishi” Zwane’s Achilles tendon injury, which will keep him out of action for months, is causing Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos to lose sleep.
The Mamelodi Sundowns talisman sustained the injury during Tuesday night’s second leg match against Congo in Brazzaville.
The South Africans had to defeat the Congolese to secure their place in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) tournament in Morocco, but they wasted the chance by drawing 1-1 after defeating the Congolese 5-0 last Friday in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape.
Bafana will now need to earn two points from their next two matches against South Sudan and Uganda in order to advance to the Morocco-hosted Afcon tournament.
After four games, South Africa is in second place in Group K with eight points, while Uganda is at the top of the standings with 10 points.
Uganda has already earned a spot at the Moroccan spectacle next year.
It is a big injury
“Themba Zwane is a very important player for us. It was not a good thing for us that he had to go out with an injury,” said Broos.
“It is a big injury; it is an Achilles tendon injury. I’m afraid he will be out for months.
“When you lose such an important player, it’s difficult, certainly in a game where you dominated.”
Broos explained further: “It’s always difficult to lose such a player because Themba is someone who can keep the ball and who can give the last pass.
“So, he was not there, and maybe that was also a reason why we didn’t play so well.”
In contrast to the team they thrashed in Gqeberha, Broos acknowledged that the Congolese were more difficult to defeat at home.
“Congo surprised us, and we could not find a way to score here.”
The 2025 Afcon qualifiers will resume in November when South Africa visits Uganda and then returns to host South Sudan in the group’s last game.
