World Cup (Q): Neil Tovey warns South Africa against costly mistakes

Former South Africa national team captain Neil Tovey has cautioned Bafana Bafana to avoid mistakes when they face Zimbabwe and Rwanda in their final matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Bafana assembled in Roodepoort, Johannesburg, on Monday, and will face the Warriors away at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Friday, before they wrap up their qualifying campaign against Rwanda in the last qualifier at the Mbombela Stadium, in Mpumalanga, on Tuesday.

Following the decision by FIFA to deduct them points for fielding ineligible midfielder Teboho Mokoena in their World Cup qualifier against Lesotho on March 21, South Africa are now second in Group C with 14 points, the same number as leaders Benin.

South Africa matches very critical in qualification campaign

“I think we don’t have to panic. Any blunder could cost us big,” said Tovey as quoted by FARPost. “We have got two games on Friday and Tuesday.

“Those are absolutely critical not only for SAFA themselves, but for the players. The players just have to ask themselves, ‘where do you want to play next year in June?’ They should all be saying ‘I want to be at that World Cup.’

“They are only two wins away and they are playing in South Africa. But let’s bot think about Tuesday’s game before we play Friday’s game. Let’s do what we have to do on Friday and then see what has to be done on Tuesday.

“Let’s make it out of everybody’s hands, just two wins and you qualify.”

He concluded: “They are doing pretty well. I watched the game against Nigeria and they were not intimidated by the big Nigerians. I thought they handled the situation very well, they looked pretty solid and mentally good.”