Broos prays for no injuries when Downs, Pirates clash

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos is crossing fingers that there won't be any injuries when Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns meet in the Betway Premiership match at FNB Stadium on Sunday at 3.30pm.

Broos announced the strong 23-man squad to face Lesotho at Peter Mokaba Stadium on March 21 at 6pm and Benin four days later at Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny in Ivory Coast in the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers, with players from both Pirates and Sundowns dominating.

Bafana needs to beat Lesotho and Benin to keep their chances of qualifying for the World Cup next year alive and Broos said he hopes there won't be any injuries from the players he selected on Sunday.

“I hope that nothing happens in that game; it is an important game for Sundowns and it is also important for Pirates. I think if Pirates lose that game, it will be the end for them in the championship, so it is a very important game and it will be intense for both sides,” Broos said during an interview with SABC Sport on Thursday.

“Let's pray that there won't be any injuries.” 

Broos also named TS Galaxy defender Khulumani Ndamane but he is concerned that the player doesn't have a passport which may see him not travel with the team to Ivory.

“Ndamane from Galaxy was with the team, but he doesn't have a passport. I had the chairman [Tim Sukazi] saying last week that I have to take more players from Galaxy. I want to take them, but they don't have passports,” he said.

“I'm very sorry about that and it is not the first time [with Pule Mmodi before], I think we have to look at solutions to make a list of 40 players and send it to the club to assist them if there will be a call-up, these players need to have a passport.

I hope that nothing happens in that game; it is an important game for Sundowns and it is also important for Pirates.Hugo Broos

“Ndamane, I think he still has to go to the embassy and then it will only be next week before he can get a passport and then he doesn't have a visa to go to Ivory Coast. It's impossible, but those guys are losing a cap or selection in the national team because they don't have a passport.

“We announced the preliminaries two weeks ago, they know they are on that list and if you don't have a passport go and get one.”

The Belgian was also excited to see captain Ronwen Williams return to play for Sundowns during their 2-0 victory over AmaZulu on Tuesday and that he was worried when he missed Masandawana previous games.

Bafana squad

Goalkeepers: Ronwen Williams, Ricardo Goss, Sipho Chaine

Defenders: Sydney Mobbie, Khulumani Ndamane, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Aubrey Modiba, Siyabonga Ngezana, Khuliso Mudau, Fawaaz Basadien.

Midfielders: Teboho Mokoena, Bathusi Aubaas, Thalente Mbatha, Jayden Adams.

Strikers: Oswin Appollis, Patrick Maswanganyi, Iqraam Rayners, Elias Mokwana, Lyle Foster, Thapelo Morena, Percy Tau and Relebohile Mofokeng.

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