Broos salutes Mbokazi’s Egypt performance as young defender announces himself at AFCON

Mbekezeli Mbokazi may have emerged from Bafana Bafana’s 1-0 Africa Cup of Nations defeat to Egypt with his reputation enhanced, after the young defender delivered a composed performance against some of the continent’s most feared attackers.

Despite South Africa coming up short on Friday, Mbokazi stood firm at the back, dealing calmly with the threat posed by Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush. At just 20 years old, the defender showed little sign of being overawed by the occasion, producing a display that drew strong praise from head coach Hugo Broos.

Before the tournament, Mbokazi completed a move from Orlando Pirates to Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire — a decision that Broos openly questioned. The Belgian coach had expressed concern about the timing of the transfer, suggesting the defender might have benefitted from showcasing himself on the international stage before making such a move.

IOL Sports Lunga Biyela reported that following the Egypt match, Broos said the performance justified his earlier concerns, while underlining just how highly he rates the player’s potential.

“There were some angry people when I said a few weeks ago that it was not the best choice for him, you saw why,” Broos said, according to iDiskiTimes. “He was my man of the match, the way that guy played.”

Broos highlighted a second-half moment involving Salah as an example of Mbokazi’s quality.

“One thing in my mind, still from the second half, there was a deep ball to Salah, and he went in for the duel, Salah had no chance, no chance and that shows the quality of Mbokazi,” he said.

The coach went on to stress that his criticism stemmed from concern rather than doubt.

“You now understand why I’d be very angry if he ruins his career. This is a guy who can have a very big career, a very big career,” Broos added.

While the loss to Egypt left Bafana Bafana still searching for a win in the group, Broos will be hoping Mbokazi can deliver another strong showing when South Africa face Zimbabwe on Monday. A draw in that match would be enough to secure progression to the next round of the tournament.

Should Bafana Bafana finish second in Group B, they are likely to meet one of Ivory Coast or Cameroon in the Round of 16.

For Mbokazi, the Zimbabwe clash represents another chance to reinforce the impression he made against Egypt. Having already passed a stern examination against Salah and Marmoush, the defender has demonstrated that he can compete at this level.

Whether Broos’ concerns over his club move ultimately prove justified or not remains to be seen. What is already clear, however, is that Bafana Bafana have uncovered a young defender capable of handling the demands of top-level international football.