Broos Reveals Strategic Reason for Benching Ngezana Against Lesotho

Hugo Broos's decision to keep Siyabonga Ngezana on the bench during Bafana Bafana's 3-0 win against Lesotho was not a reflection of the defender's ability, but a tactical maneuver with the upcoming clash against Nigeria in mind. 

The Bafana Bafana head coach explained his reasoning on Monday, stating that he was managing the risk of yellow cards within his squad.

With a handful of players on the verge of suspension, Broos admitted he had to be cautious. Broos explained that they had four cautioned players and had to decide who to play and who to bench to ensure they were available for the high-stakes match against the Super Eagles. 

Ngezana's role as an unused substitute was a strategic sacrifice to maintain the team's strength for the more challenging match on Tuesday at the Free State Stadium. This insight offers a glimpse into Broos’s long-term planning and his commitment to securing a spot in the 2026 World Cup.

BROOS ON THE RISK THEY COULDN’T TAKE

“You know before the game of Friday we had four players who had one yellow card,” said Broos as quoted by iDiski Times.

“It was Khuliso [Mudau] but Khuliso is not with us. It was Ngezana, it was Aubrey [Modiba] and it was [Lyle] Foster. So we couldn’t put them all on the bench and as precaution of the game of tomorrow [vs Nigeria] we couldn’t do it. 

“So we took a little risk with Foster as a striker, normally strikers don’t get yellow cards. And with Aubrey that was a risk but everything went well. 

“And also Ngezana had a yellow card, so that is why I put him on the bench because I didn’t want to let them to play and get a stupid yellow card. So that should mean that he was not able to play tomorrow.”