South Africa’s Bafana Bafana suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Egypt on Friday in Agadir, but the match also highlighted the emergence of a new defensive leader in Mbekezeli Mbokazi, who delivered an assured performance against elite opposition.
The decisive moment came from a controversial first-half penalty, converted by Mohamed Salah, despite Egypt being reduced to 10 men before the break. While the result went against South Africa, the 20-year-old Mbokazi stood out with a display marked by composure, discipline and tactical awareness.
Deployed at left centre-back, Mbokazi had a demanding task. With Aubrey Modiba pushing forward at left-back, the responsibility fell on him to cover wide spaces and neutralise Salah, who frequently drifted inside from the right wing. The young defender responded with maturity, timing his challenges well and maintaining positional discipline throughout the contest.
In the opening exchanges, Salah attempted to unsettle the South African defence with quick movements and sharp runs, but Mbokazi consistently read the danger. He made several crucial interventions, including a well-timed tackle inside the box in the first half and multiple recoveries during Egypt’s counter-attacks.
South Africa enjoyed spells of control, but a contentious penalty decision just before half-time allowed Salah to score, shifting the momentum. Moments later, Egypt were reduced to 10 men after Mohamed Hany was sent off, opening the game once more.
In the second half, Egypt leaned heavily on counter-attacks, with Salah as the focal point. Mbokazi remained central to Bafana Bafana’s defensive effort, repeatedly cutting out passes, winning duels and providing calm distribution from the back. His presence eased the workload of his defensive partners and helped South Africa remain competitive until the final whistle.
Facing both Salah and Omar Marmoush in the same match represented the toughest test of Mbokazi’s young career, following earlier international outings against players such as Ademola Lookman. Despite recent scrutiny surrounding his move to Chicago Fire FC and his late arrival to camp, he showed no sign of nerves.
While the result was disappointing for South Africa, Mbokazi’s performance offered a clear positive. If his development continues on this trajectory, he could join the ranks of the country’s most accomplished central defenders in the years ahead.
About the author
Cuba hit by massive nationwide blackout
Millions of residents in Cuba were left without electricity after the country’s national power grid suffered a major collapse on Monday, according to the state operator UNE. The outage affected most parts of the island, marking another serious disruption in an ongoing energy crisis. Authorities said efforts are underway to gradually restore power across provinces and major cities, although the process remains slow and unstable. This latest blackout adds to a series of nationwide outages that have become increasingly frequent in recent years. The situation is largely driven by persistent fuel shortages. The country depends heavily on imported oil to generate electricity, but supplies have sharply declined. Previously, Venezuela provided a significant share of Cuba’s fuel needs, estimated at around half of total consumption. However, those shipments have stopped, worsening the crisis. Pressure has also intensified from the United States, […]
Les enfants, premières victimes des conflits
À travers le monde, les enfants restent les premières victimes des conflits armés qu’ils n’ont pas choisis. Face à cette situation, les Nations unies alertent sur l’urgence d’une mobilisation internationale pour mieux protéger les plus vulnérables. « Protéger les enfants n’est pas un luxe. C’est une obligation juridique et un impératif moral », a déclaré Nada Al-Nashif, haute responsable des droits de l’homme de l’ONU. Elle souligne que, dans les conflits actuels, les enfants ne sont plus seulement des victimes indirectes, mais deviennent de plus en plus des cibles directes. Des régions d’Afrique au Moyen-Orient, en passant par l’Europe de l’Est, les crises se multiplient et s’intensifient. Les conséquences pour les enfants sont graves et répétitives : déplacements forcés, interruption de la scolarité, traumatismes psychologiques et violences physiques. À cela s’ajoutent des risques accrus de recrutement forcé, de détention arbitraire […]
Utah mother guilty of husband’s poisoning murder
A jury in the US state of Utah has found Kouri Richins guilty of murdering her husband, Eric Richins, in a case that drew national attention due to its unusual circumstances. Prosecutors said Richins poisoned her husband in March 2022 by giving him a drink laced with fentanyl. After deliberating for about three hours, the jury returned a guilty verdict on multiple charges, including aggravated murder and attempted murder. During the trial, the court heard that the 35-year-old had accumulated significant financial debt and had taken out life insurance policies on her husband. Prosecutors also alleged she was involved in an extramarital relationship and stood to gain financially from her husband’s death. More than 40 witnesses testified during the proceedings, including a woman who told the court she had supplied the drugs used in the crime. The defence team did […]
Air strike hits Kabul rehab centre amid tensions
Dozens of people are feared dead or injured after an air strike hit a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul, intensifying tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Authorities in Afghanistan said the strike occurred on Monday evening and targeted a facility treating drug addiction. A spokesperson for the Taliban government blamed Pakistan for the attack, reporting multiple casualties. However, Islamabad denied hitting any civilian or health-related site, stating that its operation focused strictly on military targets and infrastructure linked to militant groups. Journalists from BBC News who visited the scene reported extensive damage, with parts of the centre still burning hours after the strike. More than 30 bodies were seen being carried away, while emergency teams continued searching for survivors. Officials at the rehabilitation centre said around 2,000 people were undergoing treatment at the time of the incident, raising fears that the […]
L’ONU alerte sur la montée de l’islamophobie
À l’occasion de la Journée internationale de lutte contre l’islamophobie célébrée le 15 mars, le Secrétaire général des Nations unies a exprimé son inquiétude face à la progression des discours de haine visant les musulmans. Dans un contexte international marqué par des tensions identitaires, il a appelé à une mobilisation collective fondée sur le respect des droits humains et l’inclusion. Lors d’une session de l’Assemblée générale, António Guterres a mis en garde contre une augmentation préoccupante de l’islamophobie à travers le monde. Il a souligné que cette tendance représente une menace pour la cohésion sociale et les valeurs universelles. Le phénomène s’inscrit dans une dynamique plus large de montée des discours de haine, souvent amplifiés par les réseaux sociaux, mais aussi par certains discours politiques qui associent de manière abusive religion, sécurité et identité. Ces dérives se traduisent par diverses […]
Togo : critique du rebranding des institutions
Dans une tribune critique, le journaliste Rodrigue Ahégo dénonce ce qu’il considère comme une stratégie de rebranding des institutions publiques au Togo, sans réformes profondes. À travers plusieurs exemples, il remet en cause l’efficacité de certaines structures et appelle à des changements structurels pour répondre aux attentes des citoyens. Selon l’auteur, les changements d’appellation de certaines institutions ne suffisent pas à corriger leurs dysfonctionnements. Il estime que ces modifications relèvent davantage d’une opération de communication que d’une véritable volonté de transformation. Pour lui, remplacer des sigles associés à des critiques passées ne permet pas d’améliorer concrètement leur fonctionnement. Dans son analyse, il évoque notamment des institutions comme la HAAC, la HAPLUCIA et le FAIEJ, qu’il considère comme représentatives de difficultés structurelles. Il affirme que ces organismes, censés jouer un rôle clé dans la régulation, la lutte contre la corruption ou […]
Related
Lagos to host 2026 youth swimming talent trials
Lagos State will host the 2026 Swimming Trials for young athletes on March 22, 2026, at the Rowe Park Sports Complex in Yaba . The event will bring together emerging talents from across the state as the Lagos State Sports Commission works to identify swimmers who can represent Lagos in future national and international competitions . The trials are open to active male and female swimmers aged 16 and under, with entries expected from clubs, schools and training centres across Lagos . According to the Commission, the programme is part of a wider plan to deepen grassroots sports development and strengthen the talent pipeline in aquatic sports . Director General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Lekan Fatodu, said the trials reflect the state’s commitment to building a strong foundation for sports through structured competitions and systematic athlete identification . […]
Iran in talks with FIFA to move US World Cup games to Mexico
Iran’s football federation says it is in talks with FIFA about moving the national team’s World Cup group matches from the United States to Mexico because of the war in the Middle East and security concerns . Iran are due to play New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles and Egypt in Seattle at this summer’s tournament, which is being hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico . However, Iran’s embassy in Mexico said on Monday that officials are now “negotiating” with FIFA to have Iran’s matches held in Mexico instead of the United States . Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian football federation, was quoted on the embassy’s X account as saying that when US President Donald Trump has openly said he cannot guarantee the security of the Iranian team, the squad will certainly not travel to America […]
African players in Europe: Sub Salah fails to sink Spurs
Egypt captain Mohamed Salah came off the bench for Liverpool at the weekend but could not stop his team from dropping two crucial points against Tottenham Hotspur.A last minute goal earned lowly Spurs a 1–1 draw at Anfield, leaving Liverpool fifth in the Premier League table, two points behind Aston Villa with eight games left. Salah was among several regular starters who began on the bench as Liverpool manager Arne Slot rotated his side ahead of a Champions League tie against Galatasaray.He was introduced in the 64th minute and soon had a big chance to double Liverpool’s lead after a defensive error from Spurs centre back Radu Dragusin. Cody Gakpo’s high ball caused confusion in the Tottenham box, but Salah scuffed his shot wide of the post.That miss proved costly as Brazilian forward Richarlison struck a late equaliser for Spurs […]
Goalkeeper crisis hits Bayern ahead of Champions League tie
Bayern Munich are facing a major goalkeeping crisis ahead of their Champions League last 16 second leg against Atalanta, with all three senior keepers sidelined by injury.First choice Manuel Neuer, back up Jonas Urbig and experienced reserve Sven Ulreich have all been ruled out, leaving coach Vincent Kompany short of options. Neuer suffered a calf muscle tear during Bayern’s 4–1 Bundesliga win over Borussia Mönchengladbach and has been unavailable since early March.The 39 year old captain had already missed several games with similar problems and is not expected to feature in either leg against Atalanta. His understudy Jonas Urbig is also out after sustaining a concussion, with medical staff unwilling to risk him before he fully completes recovery protocols.That left Ulreich to start in goal against Bayer Leverkusen at the weekend, but he picked up a right adductor injury late […]
Youngest goalscorers in Europe’s top five leagues
European football has seen several teenagers make history by scoring in the top five leagues at remarkably young ages.These records underline how quickly some young talents have jumped from academy prospects to first team impact players. In La Liga, Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal holds the record as the youngest goalscorer in the league’s history.He found the net against Granada at just 16 years and 87 days, beating the previous mark set by Malaga’s Fabrice Olinga, who scored at 16 years and 98 days. The Premier League’s youngest goalscorer is Arsenal’s Max Dowman, who broke the long standing record in March 2026.Dowman scored at 16 years and 73 days in a 2–0 win over Everton, surpassing James Vaughan’s record of 16 years and 270 days set for Everton in 2005. In the Bundesliga, the youngest scorer is Borussia Dortmund forward Youssoufa […]
Spain vs Argentina Finalissima cancelled over Middle East crisis
The 2026 Finalissima match between Spain and Argentina has been cancelled due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East and the failure to agree on a new venue.Spain, winners of Euro 2024, and Argentina, Copa América 2024 champions, had been scheduled to meet on March 27 at Lusail Stadium in Qatar. UEFA confirmed in a statement that the game could not go ahead in Qatar because of the current political and security situation in the region.The announcement came after US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets and rising tensions that officials said made hosting the match there unsuitable. Following Qatar’s withdrawal as host, UEFA, CONMEBOL and local organisers explored other options, including moving the match to Madrid or Buenos Aires.However, no agreement was reached, with the Argentine Football Association insisting the game be played on neutral ground rather than […]