Former Kaizer Chiefs winger Junior Khanye has criticised Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos and midfielder Sphephelo Sithole following South Africa’s disappointing 2-0 defeat to Mexico in their FIFA World Cup opener.
Goals from Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez secured victory for the hosts at the Estadio Azteca, with Bafana struggling to make an impact throughout the encounter before finishing the match with nine men.
Many supporters were left frustrated by South Africa’s cautious approach, and Khanye believes Broos got his tactics wrong from the outset.
Speaking on iDiski TV after the match, Khanye accused the Belgian coach of abandoning the attacking philosophy he had promised in the build-up to the tournament.
“Let’s start with the line-up and the way he approached the game,” Khanye said.
“When he was building up to this match, he was telling us about attacking football, using wing-backs and taking the game to Mexico. He started with players like Moremi [Tshepang], Appollis [Oswin] and Mofokeng [Relebohile] in previous matches, but today he went with seven defenders.
“Why do you deploy a 3-5-2 system? There was no intention to play. The coach was very nervous and he should take accountability.”
Khanye also singled out Sithole for criticism after the midfielder’s early mistake contributed to Mexico’s opening goal.
“Our players were nervous during the match. The coach keeps on starting with this boy Yaya [Sithole], but why?” he continued.
“It’s very difficult to coach a player who is not talented. If you’re playing as a defensive midfielder, you need to be smart. You are the link between the defence and attack, and you must remain calm on the ball. If you’re unsure, play it back to the goalkeeper.”
Junior Khanye not happy with Broos’ tactics
The former Amakhosi winger believes Bafana would have been better served by deploying Thalente Mbatha in midfield and adopting a more attacking formation.
“That game needed Thalente Mbatha and a back four. We should have played a 4-3-3 formation. We couldn’t function in any department,” Khanye concluded.
The defeat leaves Bafana with plenty to ponder ahead of their next Group A fixture, with pressure already mounting on Broos and his players to respond.