Bafana Bafana Player Ratings vs Nigeria

In a hard-fought FIFA World Cup qualifying match at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein, Bafana Bafana and the Super Eagles of Nigeria played to a 1-1 draw. Afrik-Foot offers its assessment with a detailed breakdown of each South Africa player's performance.

Goalkeeper and Defense

GK – Ronwen Williams – 5.5: While he didn't have many saves to make, the Bafana skipper's ball-playing skills were on full display. His ability to join the defensive line allowed the team to build from the back and create space in the midfield.

RB – Zuko Mdunyelwa – 7.5: Mdunyelwa had a strong defensive outing, stopping a lot of promising attacks from the opponents. He handled his duels well with his pace, but he was more reserved in attack and didn't provide the overlapping runs that are often expected from a modern full-back.

CBR – Mbekezeli Mbokazi – 8.5 : The young defender put in a commanding performance against a physical Nigerian attack. Mbokazi was not a pushover, standing firm in his duels. He had a couple of heroic moments including a significant block towards the end of the match. He also showcased his skill with an ambitious long-range chip that just missed the target in the 67th minute. With his impressive display, he scooped the Man of the Match after the game.

CBL – Siyabonga Ngezana – 5: While Ngezana had a great performance but had a few errors in the game, kind of tainting the good things that he did during the 90 minutes.

LB – Samukelo Kabini – 5.5: Kabini was somewhat scared in the early stages of the game but had a disciplined performance. He stuck to his defensive duties and did so with diligence, rarely being caught out of position.

Midfield

CDM – Bathusi Aubaas – 6: Aubaas played a classic defensive midfielder role, shielding the back four and acting as a bridge between the defense and attack. He did his job effectively, though he did lose the ball on a few occasions.

CM – Teboho Mokoena – 7.5: Mokoena proved to be the engine of the team. He was in complete control of the midfield, and had a few forward passes that were dangerous towards the opponents’ goal.

AM – Sipho Mbule – 6.5: While he played in patches, Mbule had an impressive display in the middle of the park. He was involved in a lot of duels and won most of them. However, fatigue got the better of him in the second half.

Attack

LW – Oswin Appollis – 5.5: Appollis's main contribution came early on when he fired a shot that forced a save from the Nigerian goalkeeper. This moment seemed to spark Bafana's confidence, but Appollis was quiet for the rest of the game.

RW – Mohau Nkota – 7: The former Orlando Pirates attacker showed a lot of growth against physical Nigeria. After scoring in the previous game against Lesotho, he continued his good form for Bafana, making a crucial run and delivered a cross that led to an own goal by Nigeria's captain, William Troost-Ekong.

CF – Lyle Foster – 5: Foster had a frustrating night, as he was well-marked by the Nigerian defense and struggled for service. He created a chance for himself in the 80th minute but couldn't hit the target.

SUBS:

RB – Thabiso Monyane – 5: He replaced Mdunyelwa who got injured in the 68th minute in the second half. But Monyane had a lot to deal with on the right flank, stopping Nigeria and he did fairly well.