Hugo Broos, the coach of South Africa, has announced his final 23-man team for the June 7 World Cup qualifier in Uyo against the Super Eagles. Foster has named his final 23-man team for the crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Nigeria on the road and Zimbabwe at home, and he will employ the same lineup for that match as well.
The Belgian coach reportedly chose to remain with the strikers he has experience working with, ignoring Tshegofatso Mabasa, an effective striker for the Orlando Pirates. This was reported by the media in South Africa.
Mabasa ended top scorer in the Premiership with 16 goals, one ahead of Stellenbosch FC’s Iqraam Rayners, who got the nod alongside Burnley’s Foster, Percy Tau, Themba Zwane, Oswin Appollis, Patrick Maswanganyi, Elias Mokwana and Relebogile Mofokeng in the forwards.
Lyle Foster of the recently relegated Burnley in the English Premier League is a major inclusion. He was excluded in the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 squad on health ground.
Broos reportedly explained that the health issues were a thing of the past as he also had discussions with Burnley before including the striker again.
“His health problems are over,” the coach stated as he announced his squad on SABC Sport.
“And I know I was at one stage very unhappy because we got the news Lyle was not ready and had a mental problem and suddenly he started playing with Burnley (ahead of AFCON).
“So, we had contact with (the club in) England again and they said, ‘Yeah, but he’s not ready’. And also Lyle wrote a letter to us that he did not want to go to Afcon. That’s why he was not with us in Ivory Coast.
“After that, for [the friendlies against Andorra and Algeria] in March I made contact again and again they said, ‘No — its better you don’t call him because he’s still not 100 per cent.’
“But he still played every game for Burnley, so it was not easy to accept that. But OK, I followed the medical reasons for why I couldn’t take him.“But now, everything was OK. I phoned him [Foster] and we had a good chat. I called (then still Burnley manager Vincent) Kompany and we had a good chat. So there are no problems anymore and that’s the reason Lyle is with us again.”
South Africa are in second place in Group C on three points while leaders Rwanda are on four. Nigeria, Lesotho and Zimbabwe have two points and Benin one.
