Mudau admits Sundowns link-up is helping Bafana

Khuliso Mudau believes the core of Mamelodi Sundowns players in the Bafana Bafana team is helping them gel, as the team prepare to play Rwanda on Tuesday in a Group C 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier.

The right back was one of six Sundowns players that started the 2-1 win over Benin at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, and got on the scoresheet in a win that took Bafana to the top of the group.

Hugo Broos was at pains to play down the Sundowns influence on his squad after the match, a move that seemed a bit unnecessary from the Bafana head coach, though perhaps the Belgian was simply trying to foster team spirit in the rest of the squad.

Sundowns have been the dominant force in South African football for some time, so it is hardly surprising there are so many in the Bafana squad – there would be even more were it not for injuries to Grant Kekana, Thapelo Maseko and Bathusi Aubaas.

And it is normal for a successful club side to influence a national team – see the impact Barcelona had on the Spain side that won the 2010 Fifa World Cup. Sundowns are fresh off winning the inaugural Caf African Football League, and their players’ continental experience is likely to be vital on a difficult surface at the Stade Huye in Butare.

“I think it does help a lot,” said Mudau this week on the Sundowns stars in the Bafana squad.

“If you check the national teams of Belgium and France, those guys played together from Under-15 to Under 18. It is giving us confidence, to play with people we play with in our (club) team.”

Defense first

Mudau was delighted to score his first goal for Bafana on Saturday though it is perhaps testament to Broos’ renewed faith in him that he also stressed his first priority in a national team shirt.

“The coach encouraged me to go forward whenever I can. (But) I need to think about defence first, I can’t go forward all the time. I was very happy for the goal, I was just waiting for that moment and it finally came.”

Mudau, meanwhile, also reflected a man full of confidence and playing for a successful club side when he predicted that Bafana would win “2-0” against Rwanda.

“It is going to be a difficult game, they are at home, the crowd will be pushing them. (But) we have a very good team, a young team that can manage to grab the points. It is just about focusing on the next game, that one (against Benin) is in the past and we must make sure we get the three points.”