Why Sipho Mbule? Hugo Broos defends his choice of picking former Mamelodi Sundowns star to replace injured Orlando Pirates' Patrick Maswanganyi for Bafana Bafana World Cup qualifiers - 'He is the right player'

Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has defended his choice to call up Orlando Pirates' Sipho Mbule for South Africa's upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Broos made late changes to his final 23-man squad owing to injuries that hit his camp just days before embarking on their hunt for a ticket to the global competition.

Mbule is one of those who benefited from the change, and Broos was forced to defend his choice while overlooking other potential replacements.

“Today (Monday) we had to tell Maswanganyi to go home again after the injury of yesterday [in Pirates' game against Chippa United]," Broos told the media.

“His replacement is Sipho Mbule. Why Mbule? I think everybody agrees he's the right player," he added.

The Belgian stated that he will have a talk with Pirates' new signing in order to explain to him what is expected after being summoned.

“I have to agree that in past years we didn't see what we expected from him. But he's an experienced player, one of those players who can play in that position," Broos added.

“You know that for more than a year we've been looking for the replacement for Themba [Zwane], and we had Tito [Maswangany], but Tito is also injured," he said.

"It was very difficult to find someone in the right position, but when Mbule comes, he will be in training, and we'll have a little chat with him to tell him exactly what we expect from him."

Mbule's selection has raised eyebrows, with some feeling that Chiefs' Thabo Cele would have been a better choice to replace the Pirates' playmaker.

Maswanganyi has been ruled out of the international duties for Bafana after getting injured during the Bucs game against Chippa United on Sunday.

Apart from Maswanganyi, Broos had to find a replacement for Ime Okon, who has been sidelined by an injury he suffered during the Hannover 96 game against Holstein Kiel on Saturday.

Okon has been replaced by Stellenbosch defender Thabo Moloisane.

Should Bafana collect six points from their games against Lesotho and Nigeria, that could be enough to send them back to the World Cup finals for the first time since they hosted them in 2010.

Currently, South Africa top Group C with 13 points, five more than second-placed and third-placed Rwanda and Benin, respectively.

Nigeria have seven points and are fourth, and Lesotho have six, while bottom-placed Warriors of Zimbabwe have four.