2026 World Cup Qualifiers: Mofokeng Injury Hits South Africa, Hountondji Targets Group C Lead
Relebohile Mofokeng, a winger, was injured and could not play in Friday’s match against Zimbabwe, which hurt South Africa’s chances of securing Group C in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
During his press conference on Monday, head coach Hugo Broos confirmed the setback and disclosed that Mofokeng’s absence necessitated a last-minute roster reorganization.
“Shabalala took his place,” Broos informed reporters. “Secondly, two players—Lyle Foster and Sphephelo Sithole—have not shown up because they played on Sunday.”
FIFA just punished Bafana Bafana three points for fielding an ineligible player in March, so the setback comes at a bad moment for the team. They are now in second position in Group C, tied with the Benin Republic on 14 points but behind on goal differential as a result of that decision.
With Zimbabwe’s visit to Johannesburg on Friday and a potentially pivotal matchup with Rwanda the following week, Broos’ team now faces a challenging finish.
Meanwhile, attacker Andreas Hountondji thinks the chance is theirs to take advantage of as Benin Republic, who shocked Nigeria earlier in the season, dreams of earning a historic World Cup entry.
“Our upcoming game against Rwanda will be crucial. The Burnley loanee told FIFA.com, “We’ll be well positioned ahead of our final game, against Nigeria, if we manage to pick up the three points.”
He acknowledged that Benin has gained ground due to South Africa’s point deduction, and he is advising his teammates to remain focused on the task at hand.
We’d be crazy not to consider this as a genuine chance, in my opinion, after seeing the announcement. We still have two games left, and we stand a decent chance of qualifying straight if we win both. We must have faith in our prospects since we are responsible for our own fate,” he continued.
Benin, who are tied with South Africa on points but have a better goal differential, will play Lesotho on Friday before heading to Nigeria for their last qualifier on Tuesday.
Group C looks to have a dramatic conclusion with just two games left. Nigeria, South Africa, and Benin are all still in the running, but who earns that coveted World Cup ticket could depend on every injury, point, and lost opportunity.
