Mofokeng turns on the style as Bafana rout Eritrea

Relebohile Mofokeng came of age in a Bafana Bafana shirt on Wednesday, two brilliantly-taken goals propelling his side to a 5-0 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying Group D victory over Eritrea at the Al Salaam Stadium in Cairo.

Mofokeng’s Bafana magic

The 21-year-old had impressed for Bafana before, notably in the 1-0 win over South Korea at the 2026 Fifa World Cup finals. But he had never scored or assisted a goal for his national team.

In a supreme first half in Cairo, ‘President Yama2k’ smashed a shot against the post and then bagged a classy brace.

It was an emphatic win for Pitso Mosimane’s side, with Sphephelo Sithole grabbing his second goal for the national team after the break, Iqraam Rayners adding a fourth, and substitute Luther Singh making it five in stoppage time. It has been an excellent start to ‘Jingles’ latest spell in charge, with six points out of six after Saturday’s 2-1 win at home to Guinea.

Mosimane had warned of the threat posed by Eritrea striker Ali Sulieman. And in just the second minute the Al Masry man fired in a left-footed shot that Ronwen Williams made a meal of and spilled out for a corner.

Ronwen’s troubles

Bafana captain Williams looked to be having trouble judging the flight of the ball. In the 5th minute he let an innocuous long ball from a free kick canon back off his crossbar. From the rebound Eritrea captain Ablelom Teklezgi shot wide.

It was uncomfortable for Bafana in Cairo, but Mofokeng gave a sign of what was to come in the 12th minute when he turned his man and thundered in a shot that came back off the post.

Bafana suffered a potential blow just after as Bathusi Aubaas was forced off and Durban City’s Brooklyn Poggenpoel came on for his debut. Poggenpoel, however, actually improved Bafana, looking right at home on the international stage.

In the 19th minute, it was Poggenpoel who won the ball and played a short pass to Oswin Appollis. Appollis pinged in a superb pass that was superbly controlled by Mofokeng and drilled into the corner of the net.

Bafana were dominating possession but Eritrea still looked like a problem on the break. Winger Filimon Gerezgiher was allowed to run a long way without being challenged, but fortunately for Bafana, he shot wide.

Bafana then had a shout for a penalty as Teklezgi seemed to catch Iqraam Rayners in the box but nothing was given.

Rayners then blasted over the bar with the goal gaping after Eritrea goalkeeper Yonathan Sultan had parried Appollis’ shot straightinto his path.

Rele at the double

Mofokeng made no such mistake on the stroke of half time, as he gathered Samukele Kabini’s pass, skipped past two defenders, and cooly beat Sultan.

Bafana kept piling on the pressure after the break and it didn’t take long for them to extend their lead. Appollis’ shot was parried by Sultan and Sithole was on hand to fire into the net.

Appollis then got his second assist of the game, playing in Rayners, who smashed home from a tight angle.

Williams redeemed himself for his first half antics, pulling off a top class save to tip away substitute Esrom Yohannes’ fierce shot.

And Appollis made it a hat-trick of assists in stoppage time, crossing for substitute Singh to lot home from close range.