Bafana Bafana defeated Eritrea 5-0 in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier

The return of Bafana Bafana's coach, Pitso Mosimane, to his second home—Egypt—fuels his drive to succeed in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Eritrea, as well as in the friendly match against the host nation, Egypt.

Mosimane successfully completed a two-year spell with the African club Al Ahly, where he won six trophies, including two consecutive CAF Champions League titles—his second and third overall. This made him a favorite not only among the club's fans but also among the general public.

Returning to the country for the first time on international duty with Bafana to face Eritrea at Al Salam Stadium on Wednesday, September 30, and Egypt on Sunday, October 4, at Cairo International Stadium, Mosimane reacted to the warm reception he received across the country.

Before Wednesday's match, Mosimane stated: 'This is my second home.' He added that arriving at the airport brings back memories and tears, as if it were yesterday. He noted the incredible love shown by waiters, hotel managers, and people on the streets, emphasizing that Egypt turned out to be a good place.

The return to a familiar environment has undoubtedly added pressure on Mosimane to secure a victory in the second match and continue the streak following the triumph over Guinea in the first round of the 2027 AFCON qualifier, which took place last Saturday at Orlando Stadium Arena.

Eritrea ranks 184th in the world and 50th in Africa, significantly lower than Bafana's positions, which are 50th and 10th respectively. Nevertheless, Mosimane believes they can undermine Eritrea's position, which drew 1-1 against Kenya's co-host in the first match. He also believes that Ali Suleiman, who plays for the local top-division club Al Masry, poses a threat to the team's goals.

Mosimane stressed the importance of respecting opponents, noting that they qualified for the group. He acknowledged that Eritrea has a striker who consistently scores goals, plays in Egypt, is the top scorer, and possesses high speed, as well as being dangerous from set pieces. Therefore, the team must be vigilant.

A victory over Eritrea should significantly boost Bafana's confidence ahead of the match against Pharos. Despite Egypt not achieving continental success since 2010, they remain favorites in the match against Bafana.

Samukele Cabini demonstrated excellent play for Bafana Bafana, scoring the decisive goal in the match against Guinea. Following this, he received advice from teammate Mbekezeli Mbokazi: 'Qina, ndoda!' (Get stronger, man), showing strong performance during the team's 2-1 victory on Saturday afternoon.

Cabini came on as a substitute for Aubrey Modibe, who was struggling with an injury, and provided strong play on the left flank, scoring the winning goal as Bafana started their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at home with a high start. His goal was executed decisively and accurately after he managed to find space, catch a pass, and powerfully strike a low shot past goalkeeper Soumaila Silla.

Before the goal, Cabini communicated with Pitso Mosimane on the field line. However, Mosimane, who managed his first game in the second half, declined to claim credit for the left-back's influence. He stated: 'I don't take credit for things like that because we coaches sometimes want to sound smart when a goal is scored,' adding that it was a conversation with the player, and he could not disclose details.

Cabini's impressive appearance for Bafana was his first since the World Cup qualifier against Nigeria late last year. In that game, he appeared nervous, losing possession and making clumsy tackles, which prompted defender Mbokazi to urge him to be more resilient against the massive and skilled Nigerians.

Mosimane noted that Cabini and Favaz Basadien could compensate for Aubrey Modibe's absence in the next two matches against Eritrea on Wednesday and Egypt on Sunday, October 4th, explaining why the first would be a replacement for Modibe. 'We have an overload of full-backs,' said Mosimane. 'Basadien is also available, but Cabini is playing at a good level. He needs a chance. Cabini is a big, strong guy. He is strong, and you can see that the Guinean players are also big and strong.'

After a difficult start to the game, where the team struggled against Aliou Baldé in the first half, Kamogelo Selebele managed to redeem himself by winning the Man of the Match award. Mosimane was pleased with Selebele's efforts. 'I was worried about Kamogelo Selebele, who is shorter, in corner kicks. But it was even. The players marking him were not very tall. He has the speed to challenge and win duels,' commented Mosimane.

He continued: 'In the first half, he had an opponent because this guy had many fouls. But he dealt with him and became Man of the Match. That is incredible. He played well. I think it shows that he is playing here and accustomed to international football.'