Orlando Pirates’ Mbekezeli Mbokazi will sit out Bafana Bafana’s final World Cup qualifier against Rwanda on Tuesday.
After taking two yellow cards deep in stoppage time against Zimbabwe, the Hluhluwe-born star was given his marching orders.
The first came in the 95th minute, the second in the 97th, leaving fans and pundits debating the captain’s discipline.
ORLANDO PIRATES STAR MBEKEZELI MBOKAZI SUSPENDED
Bafana Bafana legend Doctor Khumalo has stood by Mbokazi, saying the frustration and provocation reached a boiling point.
According to Khumalo, the 20-year-old “took one for the team” and stressed the emotional intensity on the field.
“He was provoked, and yes, he reacted, but that’s human in such a high-pressure moment,” Khumalo explained. “Even as the captain told play on, he was angry and wanted the game to keep going. He made that choice because he was fully committed to the team’s cause.
“Retaliation is a bookable offence, and he must accept it,” Khumalo said. “But when you’re out there, the emotions, the provocation, the stakes, it all comes at you. He did what he did for the team, and that counts for something,” Khumalo concluded on the Orlando Pirates captain.
HUGO BROOS ADDS HIS TAKE
Mbokazi’s coach, Hugo Broos, explained that the youngster’s frustration came from the intensity of the game and the pressure of the results. He said, “This guy got frustrated, and he knew that with the results, we would be in trouble,” Broos told journalists.
“So, he had it two times; the aggressiveness of the Zimbabwean player made him nervous.” Broos added that this is normal for a young player, noting that Mbokazi still has things to learn.
The coach highlighted the midfielder’s drive to win: “This guy wants to win, and you can see it in his way of playing. If then a guy like the player of Zimbabwe went so aggressively two times on him, you can’t accept it, but you can understand that it happens.”
Broos also made it clear that the sending off did not cost South Africa the match. In his words: “Okay, that red card was not the reason why today we didn’t win the game.”