Broos to shuffle squad for Algeria game
A raft of changes are expected in the Bafana Bafana team that will face Algeria in Algiers on Tuesday at a stadium named after South Africa’s first democratic president, Nelson Mandela.
Hugo Broos was forced not to play his regulars in the drab 1-1 draw against Andorra in Annaba on Thursday, a day before Algeria beat Bolivia 3-2 in the other match which forms part of the Fifa-organised series of international friendlies around the globe.
Algeria, ranked 44th in the world and seventh on the continent, will give Bafana better preparation for the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers they’ll play against Nigeria (away) on June 3 and Zimbabwe (home) on June 10.
Most of the Mamelodi Sundowns players who only arrived in Algeria late on Tuesday sat out the game against Andorra, but Broos said everyone should be ready to play against the 2019 African champions.
What was of concern to Broos in the Andorra game was the “little present” goalkeeper Ricardo Goss gifted Andorra when Bafana conceded, and that Bafana lacked a sharpshooter capable of scoring goals.
“It was a totally new team and I’m satisfied about some players. They gave me much satisfaction, and I think there are guys we can count on maybe for the next games in June or at the end of the year,” said Broos of Thursday’s match in which he started with Khanyiso Mayo, Elias Mokwana and Mlondi Mbanjwa in attack.
“I think it showed again the problem for South African football that we really don’t have scorers, the guys who get one chance and score a goal.”
Iqraam Rayners, Themba Zwane, Oswin Appollis and Mihlali Mayambela were the other attacking players Broos had on the bench.
A defeat against Algeria will not go down well with Broos, who wants Bafana to keep their position (10) in Africa, a ranking they earned following a stellar show at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Ivory Coast earlier this year, where they finished third.
Algeria are in recovery phase after sacking their longtime coach Djamel Belmadi. They have replaced him with Bosnian-born Vladimir Petkovic following a poor showing in Ivory Coast, where the Fennecs were among the shock first-round casualties.
Petkovic, a Switzerland coach between 2014 and 2021, is expected to guide Algeria to the 2026 World Cup. The Algerians will take on Guinea and Uganda in June as they look to qualify for the global showpiece after missing the last two tournaments.
The Algerians won the first two World Cup qualifiers against Somalia and Mozambique last year.
Bafana have a good record against some of the top North African sides, and continued to show their class when they beat Morocco on their way to winning bronze in Ivory Coast. In only four matches played between Algeria and South Africa, both have won once with two games ending in stalemates.
Bafana skipper Ronwen Williams should start on Tuesday alongside Thapelo Morena, Aubrey Modiba and Grant Kekana, with Nkosinathi Sibisi completing the defence. Teboho Mokoena will have a new partner in Goodman Mosele or Thabang Monare in the centre of the park, with Sphephelo Sithole sidelined by injury.
Mokwana — who scored the equaliser against Andorra — Zwane, Patrick Maswanganyi, Appollis, Mayo and Mayambela should give Broos options in attack.
Algeria skipper Riyad Mahrez asked to be left out of the mini tournament, saying he was assessing his international future following criticism levelled against him and some of the senior players after their poor showing at Afcon.
Petkovic would have been pleased with his first match against Bolivia, with defender Aissa Mandi tapping home Algeria’s winner four minutes into added time at a packed Nelson Mandela Stadium.