South Africa coach Hugo Broos has recalled key right-back Khuliso Mudau to his squad for the vital 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Zimbabwe and Rwanda later this month.
Mudau had been left out of the squad for last month’s qualifiers against Lesotho and Nigeria after a contract dispute with his club Mamelodi Sundowns meant he had been sidelined since the end of last season.
However, the issue has now been resolved and he is back playing for the Pretoria-based team in what is a sizeable boost for Broos, who had himself tried to broker peace between the two parties.
Portugal-based defensive midfielder Sphephelo Sithole also returns after a long injury lay-off, as does Sundowns’ right winger/wing-back Thapelo Morena. Another Sundowns defender, Malibongwe Khoza, earns his first call-up.
The rest of the squad is as expected, with Burnley’s Lyle Foster and Sundowns’ Iqraam Rayners the two striker options.
Saudi Arabia-based winger Mohau Nkota, and the Orlando Pirates duo of Relebohile Mofokeng and Oswin Appollis provide width, while Teboho Mokoena will anchor the midfield.
South Africa have seen a three-point lead at the top of their qualification Group C wiped out after they were sanctioned by FIFA for the fielding of Mokoena against Lesotho in March.
South Africa won that game 2-0 but selected Mokoena in error despite the fact he was suspended having collected two yellow cards earlier in the qualifiers, an embarrassing oversight that has seen the result reversed to a 3-0 win for Lesotho.
Benin now top the standings on goal difference, level with South Africa on 14 points with two games left.
Nigeria, who were the group favourites, are three points behind along with Rwanda. Only the group winners qualify directly for the World Cup, though the runners-up have a chance to win a berth albeit through an arduous playoff process.
“Everybody is responsible, so stop with it, just focus on the two games that are coming now and support us like you did already and we will see where we arrive," Broos told reporters on Thursday.
“But we will do everything to win those two games, and it is extra motivation – I will try to put that in my players’ heads also. You will see that in the two games we will fight like lions.
“Nothing has changed – even when we had the three points, we still had to win our last two games. I don’t understand why people start doubting and suddenly it is like we can’t qualify anymore."
Benin must travel to Rwanda and Nigeria in their final two games, and South Africa have the easier, on paper at least, of the two fixtures.
They play Zimbabwe in Durban on October 10, which is scheduled as an away game, but because their opponents have no stadiums certified to host fixtures by CAF, it has been moved to South Africa and is effectively a home game.
They then host Rwanda in Mbombela on October 14 in what could be the fixture that decides if they will qualify for the 2026 finals in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
South Africa appeared at the 2010 World Cup as hosts, but have not qualified for the global finals since 2002.