Hugo Broos justifies stance on Mbokazi’s red card

Hugo Broos, the Bafana Bafana head coach, has jumped to the defence of young star Mbekezeli Mbokazi following his late red card, insisting the defender’s frustration was justified by the team’s crushing draw against Zimbabwe.

The 1-1 stalemate at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Friday night delivered a severe blow to South Africa’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification hopes. The result leaves Bafana two points adrift of Group C leaders Benin, who secured a vital 1-0 win against Rwanda on the same night.

The crucial qualifier was marked by high tension and disciplinary action, seeing two red cards issued. Zimbabwe’s forward and former Kaizer Chiefs man, Knowledge Musona, was first to go, sent off in the 63rd minute after two reckless tackles earned him a second yellow card.

The drama intensified in the final minutes when Bafana centre-back Mbokazi was also dismissed. The Orlando Pirates defender picked up two bookings in rapid succession near the end of the game for retaliating against Zimbabwe forward Tawanda Maswanhisa after being fouled.

Mbokazi, who had otherwise delivered a brave performance marked by successful duels and match-saving tackles, allowed his agitation to get the better of him, resulting in the referee brandishing red. This incident marks the 19-year-old’s first-ever professional red card.

Broos Relieves Young Mbokazi of All Blame

Despite the costly suspension—which rules Mbokazi out of the must-win final qualifier against Rwanda—coach Broos was highly sympathetic, attributing the incident to the defender’s high competitive drive and the crushing realisation that the result was slipping away.

“This guy got frustrated, and he knew that with the results, we would be in trouble,” Broos explained to the media. “So, he had it two times; the aggressiveness of the Zimbabwean player made him nervous.”

The Bafana gaffer chose to treat the incident as a necessary, if unfortunate, lesson:

“That was something that a young player does, so I don’t blame him for that. It is something that he must learn. He is still young. What do you want? This guy wants to win, and you can see it in his way of playing.”

Broos concluded by making it clear the blame for the draw does not lie with his young player’s temporary lapse in composure. “Okay, that red card was not the reason why today [Friday] we didn’t win the game.”

Bafana Bafana now face a monumental task, needing a victory against Rwanda at Mbombela Stadium on Tuesday to keep their faint World Cup dream alive.

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