Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Stanton Fredericks has advised Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos to play Mbekezeli Mbokazi in the midfield ahead of the team’s crucial Group A finale against South Korea.
Bafana need a win to go through the round of 32 but will have to play the Koreans without Teboho Mokoena. The talented midfielder is suspended for Thursday’s match after accumulating two yellow cards in the tournament.
Broos can either play Thalenthe Mbatha and Jayden Adams or bring back Sphephelo Sithole, who is available for selection, having missed the Czech Republic match.
Fredericks, though, feels that Mbokazi is good enough to slot into the defensive midfield position in the absence of Mokoena.
“I think he has to get creative now,” he said on SuperSportTV.
“Now we need to think about Mbokazi possibly [playing in midfield]. We’ve got two midfielders who are out. You’ve to think of maybe playing Mbokazi as a number six.
“We have seen it. We have seen it in the qualifiers; he is comfortable enough in midfield. He can bite, he can play a single pivot, then you can bring Olwethu Makhanya in, you can bring [Khulumani] Ndamane in, we have Nkosinathi Sibisi there. That could be the solution, but yes, we are light.”
Should Mbokazi play in the midfield?
TLB has always played as a defender and playing him in the midfield might work against Bafana. South Korea are very direct and if they see a weakness in a team, they will exploit it. Broos need a stable centre-back pairing and Mbokazi and Okon are the best South Africa has to offer.
Bringing in a new defender to partner with Okon will likely backfire. Mbokazi should start in defence but given the freedom to go upfront and perhaps Yaya Sithole can play as cover.
