Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has reacted to Veli Mothwa’s error in the 2-2 draw against Uganda on Friday evening at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto.
Mothwa made a costly goalkeeping error, allowing Uganda to take a 2-1 lead in Bafana’s opening Group K match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations [AFCON] qualifiers.
Just when it seemed the East Africans were on the brink of a historic comeback at Orlando Stadium, Thalente Mbatha’s debut goal in the 95th minute salvaged a point for Bafana.
Mothwa’s selection came as a shock as he hadn’t played a competitive match for AmaZulu FC this season. Sipho Chaine has featured in three MTN8 matches and has been outstanding for Orlando Pirates, despite not having made his international debut yet.
On the other hand, Ricardo Goss only played the MTN8 quarterfinal.
HUGO BROOS STANDS BY VELI MOTHWA DESPITE ERROR
The Belgian expressed his support for the AmaZulu FC goalkeeper, defending his decision to start him.
“This is something you know after the game [if the selection is correct] you don’t know it… If Veli doesn’t make that error, okay, then maybe we will win the game, and that can happen [the error] to every goalkeeper.”
The coach acknowledged Mothwa’s disappointment and the need to rebuild his confidence. “Now we have to see how he is, he’s very disappointed… We have much work to bring him back a bit mentally and we’ll see if it’s possible. But I don’t regret playing Veli today in goal at all,” Broos said.
He also recognised the impact such a mistake can have on a goalkeeper’s mentality, especially when it nearly cost the team the game. He emphasised the importance of mental strength for goalkeepers, particularly in high-pressure situations where they might have limited involvement in the game but need to be ready when called upon.
The coach will assess Mothwa’s mental state in the coming days before deciding whether he will start in their next match against South Sudan on Tuesday. “If you feel he’s not ready to play that game on Tuesday, then you can’t play him because the risk is there that he makes a mistake again,” Broos explained.
It remains to be seen whether Mothwa will retain his spot at the Juba Stadium in Juba, South Sudan’s largest city.
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