Bafana Bafana's coach Pitso Mosimane prepares for match against Eritrea in Egypt

Bafana Bafana striker Yanela Mbutuma received congratulations from veteran Themba Zwane after participating in the second goal that helped the team win 2-1 against Guinea in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, held at Orlando Stadium Arena on Saturday.

The Bafana Bafana strikers will face pressure when South Africa meets Eritrea in the second qualifying match for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which will take place in Cairo on Wednesday.

Despite the victory over Guinea on Saturday, none of South Africa's goals were scored by a recognized forward. The goal was scored by central defender Ime Okon, and the winning goal was scored by substitute left-back Samukele Kabini after Guinea equalized thanks to Seydoube Sisse. This match highlighted one of the areas Pitso Mosimane intends to improve during the qualifying campaign.

Differences Between Reyners and Mbutuma

Ikraam Reyners started against Guinea, but in the second half he was replaced by Orlando Pirates striker Yanela Mbutuma. Reyners hopes to get another chance to lead the attack against Eritrea, while Mbutuma gained confidence through his involvement in Kabini's winning goal.

The Pirates forward also secured Mosimane's support, despite questions regarding his scoring ability, as the Bafana Bafana coach previously noted his physical strength and fighting spirit. However, options are limited. Lyle Foster is not in the current squad after moving on loan to Houston Dynamo, and Evidence Magopa is unavailable due to ongoing recovery from injury. Thus, Reyners and Mbutuma remain the two recognized central forwards in Mosimane's squad.

Why the Debate Over Bafana Bafana Strikers Matters

The Bafana Bafana coach has already admitted that finding depth in this position is a problem. After the victory over Guinea, Mosimane stated: 'We don't score easily, we score two out of six, maybe.' This statistic may be particularly relevant in the match against Eritrea, who drew their first qualifying match in Group D 1-1 with Kenya.

South Africa is expected to dominate possession and territory again, but Mosimane's team will need higher efficiency to avoid another tense finish.

Broader Attacking Options for Bafana Bafana

The coach has attacking players capable of contributing to goals: Relebogile Mofokeng, Oswin Appollis, Tapelo Maseko, Cassius Mailula, and Luther Singh are all capable of posing a threat to the opponent. Nevertheless, there is a difference between having goals across the team and having a striker who consistently converts chances created.

Against Guinea, Bafana Bafana created enough opportunities to win more convincingly, but securing the points required Kabini's late goal. Since South Africa aims to gain three more points in a group where only one non-hosting nation advances, Mosimane desires greater effectiveness in front of goal. In the match against Guinea, the defense saved the team. Against Eritrea, however, the question is whether the strikers can finally step into the spotlight.

Despite Bafana's team missing several scoring opportunities in the match against Guinea, head coach Pitsso Mosimane refused to criticize his players, instead highly praising their commitment to pressing and attacking intentions.

Mosimane acknowledged Bafana's long-standing problem with finishing attacks after South Africa missed several chances in the 2-1 victory over Guinea in the first qualifying match for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. The team dominated significant portions of the game at the Orlando Amstel Arena stadium on Saturday and created enough opportunities to secure the win even before they ultimately took all three points.

Ime Okon opened the scoring in the first half, but Guinea equalized through Seydouba Sisse. Substitute Samukelo Kabini restored Bafana's lead in the 77th minute. Despite the missed chances, Mosimane was reluctant to criticize his footballers, emphasizing their readiness to create attacks.

He noted: 'We know the South African challenge: we don't score easily, maybe two out of six.' He continued, highlighting the team's positive aspects: 'But you can't complain about the guys. They have the right attitude, they want to play, they fight and press, and we created chances. Sometimes we complain about the lack of goals, but we shouldn't complain when we create chances, because sometimes you don't score just because you don't create them.'

These remarks point to an ongoing issue that Mosimane intends to address during the Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign. South Africa could have made the result undeniable much earlier, especially after controlling the first half and creating numerous chances. Instead, Guinea remained in the game after Sisse's equalizer, forcing Bafana to rely on Kabini's late goal for the victory.

Nevertheless, for Mosimane, the ability to consistently create chances serves as a solid foundation for further development. Bafana started the campaign with three points in the difficult Group D, where Kenya's automatic qualification as one of the host countries for the 2027 tournament leaves South Africa, Guinea, and Eritrea fighting for the remaining group spot.

Now Mosimane will focus on Eritrea, as Bafana will face them in Egypt on September 30th. Although this result provided an ideal start to his second term as coach, improving South Africa's efficiency in front of goal could prove as important as creating these chances in upcoming matches.