SEDIBENG.- All eyes are on Sharpeville’s own Relebohile Mofokeng as Bafana Bafana prepare to face Panama in an international friendly at Cape Town’s DHL Stadium this evening. Kick-off is set for 19:30.

Following a 1-1 draw against the same side at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday, coach Hugo Broos may be forced to start the youngster after his game-changing performance off the bench.

Friday game was a proud moment for Vaal

The Friday clash was a proud moment for the Vaal, featuring two stars who grew up playing against each other in the dusty streets of Sharpeville. Tshepang Moremi started the match and had a solid game. He began his journey with Sharpeville Benfica FC.

Mofokeng came on as a sub after starting his career at Celeb Youth Academy.

The two former rivals are now teammates at Orlando Pirates, and their chemistry is helping the national team reach new heights.

Mofokeng’s introduction shifted the momentum

Bafana Bafana should blame themselves for not winning Friday’s encounter, especially after they created so many scoring chances with the goalkeeper to beat nogal. Oswin Appollis managed to find the equaliser, but it was Mofokeng’s introduction that truly shifted the momentum.

Despite only playing part of the match, Mofokeng delivered a Man of the Match-worthy performance. His intelligent passes in tight spaces and his ability to link the play had the Panama defence scrambling. It was a display so impressive that many believe Broos will start him ahead of veteran Themba Zwane tonight.

Matches are important for preparations

While this is a friendly, the stakes are high.

These matches are important preparation for the upcoming Fifa World Cup 2026 in June.

Coach Hugo Broos admitted he was frustrated by the missed chances on Friday but remained satisfied with the overall performance. However, to convince the nation they are ready for the world stage, a win in Cape Town is a must.