Cometh the hour, cometh Bafana Bafana starlet Mbekezeli Mbokazi

Egyptian duo Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush are arguably one of the deadliest combinations at AFCON, and Mbekezeli Mbokazi’s ability to stop them in their tracks when they face Bafana Bafana at Stade Adrar on Friday (5pm kick-off) could edge him closer to becoming a complete defender.

Mbokazi has already enjoyed an impressive debut at the tournament, playing a key role as Bafana ended a 21-year drought in an AFCON opener when they beat Angola 2-1 at Stade de Marrakech on Monday night.

The 20-year-old was not only outstanding in defence, either cutting out the Palancas Negras’ attacks or making cross-field passes, but he also continued to show that he has a knack for goal, having hit a thunderbolt from range that rattled the crossbar with goalkeeper Hugo Marques beaten.

While that performance further underlined Mbokazi’s importance in this Bafana team and almost wiped out all the shenanigans that surrounded him prior to assembling for camp, it was just the beginning of his international journey, as there is still a lot expected of him.

Sure, he will not reach his true potential during this tournament, though his new club Chicago Fire would have wanted him to, but he will certainly show the direction and shape his career will take in the next few months if he continues to perform at his best with every passing game.

With Bafana’s next clash coming against the record seven-time champions of the continental showpiece, this is one of the matches that will test Mbokazi’s true character, both as a player and as a person.

The Pharaohs have Salah and Marmoush at their disposal up front, with the Liverpool and Manchester City attackers having already shown their prowess by powering their side to victory over Zimbabwe in their group opener.

Salah, notably, has a lot to prove at AFCON. He arrived at the tournament on the back of clashes with Liverpool and coach Arne Slot due to limited game time, all but putting his future with the club in doubt after the continental showpiece.

And that is not all. Salah also has a bone to pick with Bafana, given that he was part of the Egyptian side eliminated by Stuart Baxter’s team in the last 16 on home soil.

Salah is not the captain of the Pharaohs by chance, longevity or popularity alone. He remains one of the most prolific attackers in world football, having also broken the record for the most goal contributions at a single club in the English Premier League, amassing 277 for Liverpool, despite his disputes with the club and Slot.

So Mbokazi will need to be at his very best when he comes up against “The Egyptian King” in tackles and duels.

It is also worth noting that, at times, he can be caught wanting, with schoolboy errors exposed. This will not be the moment for him to lose his temper, as he did when he was sent off during Bafana’s 0-0 draw with Zimbabwe in the penultimate World Cup qualifiers at home. He must remain calm and take the lessons in his stride.

Not even the best defenders, past or present, got everything right from the outset. They had to be embarrassed and exposed in order to identify their weaknesses. And with Mbokazi having made his professional breakthrough only a few months ago, he still has a lot to learn.

Luckily for him, he does not have to look far for lessons, as Salah, Marmoush and company are certain to present challenges he will need to solve at the ongoing showpiece in Morocco.