Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos made a big call in his centre-back pairing for the recent AFCON qualifiers, opting for Siyabonga Ngezana and Rushwin Dortley. With four goals conceded in total, is the partnership worth continuing?
The jury is still out on how the centre-back partnership between Ngezana and Dortley fared, with mixed emotions expressed as a pair.
However, individually, the new Kaizer Chiefs man received more praise, particularly for his technical ability, in the back-to-back 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Uganda and South Sudan respectively.
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Bafana almost bottled both games, having to come from behind to salvage a 2-2 draw against the Cranes and then needing a winner in added time to edge the Bright Stars 3-2.
South Africa has built a good reputation of not conceding too many goals under Broos and although arguably, most of it had to do with Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, who was out injured, the defence looked vulnerable to conceding in the two matches.
In spite of the criticism, ex-Orlando Pirates and Sundowns star Benson Mhlongo believes what made Broos' men shaky at the back was simply individual errors.
"It's not about the defence, it's individual mistakes. First game, our goalkeeper [Veli] Mothwa is not on form, he makes a mistake. This game [against South Sudan], Ngezana put us on the back foot conceding that penalty. So, it's not about team defence, it's individual mistakes," Mhlongo said on Radio 2000's Game On.
Ngezana and Dortley were handed surprise starts ahead of Grant Kekana and Nkosinathi Sibisi, and 'Mayanga' suggested that the selection of the FCSB defender, in particular, influenced by supporters.
"I think it's the pressure from supporters. You know when someone does well somewhere, you've won a cup, it's in the UEFA and then we want to see them, you know. Now when you see him, you can see he's not yet ready. Maybe where he's playing he's got a senior player next to him because players next to you can make you look good.
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"You still have to give him time, he still has his own habits he did have at Chiefs, where he commits fouls. Internationally, you commit fouls, you're punished, you're playing against the best. I think he has to grow on that and [we must] give him a room to grow, not to kill him but allow him to grow. He's still new on this international stage," he added.
Bafana will resume their AFCON qualifiers campaign when they play back-to-back matches against Republic of the Congo on 7 and 15 October.