Khothatso Leballo

GOAL gives you the details to follow the Super Eagles' World Cup qualifier clash with the Cheetahs in Uyo on Tuesday.

GOAL gives you the details to follow Bafana Bafana's World Cup qualifier hosting of Amavubi in Mbombela.

South Africa have been struggling for a prolific scorer who can take them to the global football competition and this problem comes at the most delicate moment. Already, strikers called up by coach Hugo Broos were struggling to score goals at their respective clubs and he now loses some of these men, leaving him to make desperate call-ups.

One of the most scrutinised departments in the Buccaneers squad is their strikeforce where two forwards headline their line-up. However, with the Soweto giants on an eight-match winning streak without conceding a goal, their misfiring strikers are exonerated from criticism.

After diminishing prospects of game time at Amakhosi, the duo was shipped out to the Bloemfontein-based side on loan for the rest of this season. They hope to enjoy more playing minutes and impress the coaches at Naturena and for the club to take them back for next term. But their current trainer talks about the challenges he encounters with the newboys.

The two players have had their Amakhosi debuts delayed following a boardroom battle as Cape Town Spurs contested their move to Naturena. They signed for the Soweto giants to banish the trend of transfer flops that has haunted the club. Expectations remain high on the duo, especially now that Chiefs have dropped in form.

South Africa made qualifying for the global football fiesta a mammoth task after dropping two points against a team already out of contention in this campaign. That leaves Hugo Broos' side depending on their rivals to help them secure an automatic ticket to USA/Canada/Mexico.

Although third in Group C, the Super Eagles still have a chance of topping the table and earn themselves an automatic ticket to the global football competition. But it is not in their hands as they also rely on other teams, although their captain says their eyes are not fixed on their rivals who could decide their fate.

South Africa's hopes of returning to the global football competition is slowly fading after failing to secure maximum points against the Warriors. They fired blanks against their northern neighbours who restricted them to a goalless evening in Durban. Their Belgian coach is finding it difficult to stomach what transpired on Friday.

The Soweto giants have cleared the air on the composition of their technical team for the rest of the 2025/26 season. They have officially parted ways with the men who were their head coach and are now preparing to begin a new chapter with trainers who know they are left to be fully in charge of the team.

The Super Eagles were lucky to go home with maximum points following a 2-1 win over Lesotho at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Friday. While the West Africans were not at their very best, they collected maximum points on the road and kept themselves in contention to go to the global tournament.

The former Cape Town City forward has struggled to impress the South Africa national team coach even when he was in top goal-scoring form. His situation with the Belgian became worse when he moved to North Africa, where he could not replicate the form that saw him being scouted from the PSL. Now, his father gives him some advice.

What started promising to be a dream season for the 21-year-old is turning out to be limited opportunities to show his worth in this Amakhosi side. Having failed to keep Zitha Kwinika on the bench, McCarthy will be hoping the return of Rushwin Dortley and Given Msimango will not further complicate his dream to become an Amakhosi regular starter.

South Africa enter a very important phase of their quest to qualify for the World Cup with two do-or-die matches against the Warriors and Rwanda. But for now, their focus is on their northern neighbours whom they face at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday. It is a match that the coach cannot afford to make mistakes in his selection of his lineup.

The 19-year-old was one of the best-performing South Africa players in Chile as he seemed to be sending a message to his Amakhosi coaches. He might have succeeded in proving that he can be on top of his game in another environment. Now, a former coach of the Soweto giants who gave the player his breakthrough wants him to play more at club level.

South Africa are facing a big test of character in their last two games in their bid to return to the global finals as they face the Warriors and Rwanda. They have been in an almost similar situation before when Ghana ended their quest to go to Qatar during Hugo Broos' early days as their coach. Now, they would want to avoid failing again and as their northern neighbours threaten to dash their hopes.

The Soweto giants have left fans scrutinising the state of their dressing after one of their goalkeepers defied orders from co-coaches Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef, as well as goalkeeper trainer Ilyes Mzoughi. It is a much-talked-about incident as the Soweto giants went on to lose and miss out on the chance for a first major trophy of the season.

The 20-year-old player has made himself one of the best defenders in the Premier Soccer League, but a South African football legend Andries Mpondo feels the Buccaneers starlet should be moved up the pitch into midfield. The former Moroka Swallows midfielder's views have sparked some debate.