“We Needed a Little Bit More Power”: Hugo Broos Explains Why Teboho Mokoena Was Taken Off Against France

“We Needed a Little Bit More Power”: Hugo Broos Explains Why Teboho Mokoena Was Taken Off Against France

Byron Pillay
updated at April 12, 2023 at 7:59 PM
  • Teboho Mokoena was taken off at half-time against France and many wondered what the reason was
  • Hugo Broos explained why he removed Teboho Mokoena so early during the game against reigning world champions, France
  • Teboho Mokoena struggled against France, as did many of the South African squad, with only Ronwen Williams impressing

South Africa’s performance against France is still being dissected and fans are questioning why certain players didn’t get more game time.

Teboho Mokoena is one player in particular who many expected big things from, but the Mamelodi Sundowns’ player was taken off at half-time against Les Bleus.

Hugo Broos, Teboho Mokoena, Taken Off, France, Soccer, Sport, Football, Mamelodi Sundowns
Hugo Broos has since answered the question that many were asking, as to why Teboho Mokoena was substituted at the half-time break. Image: Asano Ikko
Source: Getty Images

Coach Hugo Broos has since explained why the player was taken off, explaining that he struggled against the French outfit, Soccer Laduma reported.

“I think he had a little bit of a problem with the French opponents – and he was also not good when he had the ball. He lost a few balls in crucial moments that he didn’t have to lose,” Broos said.

The Belgian added that Bafana needed more power in midfield to combat the French and that is why he brought on Goodman Mosele for the second half.

Sadly things went from bad to worse for Bafana in the second half as they conceded a further three goals and had Khuliso Mudau sent off.

After the game, IOL rated each player’s performance out of 10 during the encounter, with Teboho Mokoena only achieving a 5.5. Ronwen Williams was the highest-rated South African player, scoring an eight.

Mothobi Mvala received the lowest rating among the Bafana players, scoring a four.

Kylian Mbappe terrorises Bafana Bafana as France schools South Africa in footballing lesson

France was simply on another level as they demolished South Africa 5-0 in an international friendly in Lille on Tuesday night, Sports Brief earlier reported.

A brace from the unstoppable Kylian Mbappe, as well as a goal apiece from Olivier Giroud, Wissam Ben Yedder and Matteo Gendouzi, saw the home team demolish the visitors in the original footballing lesson.

In a match that Sports Brief observed, Les Bleus hardly had to step out of third gear, underlining their dominance of a hopelessly out of depth Bafana Bafana side. At one point, it would have been fairer if the referee threw in a second ball onto the pitch to make it something of a fairer contest.

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Byron Pillay
Byron Pillay is a sports writer and Head of the Department at Sports Brief (joined in 2022) with over 10 years of experience in community journalism and a degree in journalism from Caxton's Cadet School.
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Hugo BroosSouth Africa