Mbekezeli Mbokazi scores stunner but Bafana Bafana go down to Panama in Cape Town

By Nasri Alexander
31st March 2026

Bafana Bafana will have work to do before heading to the 2026 FIFA World Cup after going down to a 2-1 defeat against Panama at a sold-out DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Tuesday.

The result follows the 1-1 stalemate that the teams played out at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Friday.

Bafana head coach Hugo Broos was hoping for a much-improved performance from his charges with the Cape Town public coming out in their numbers in the stands.

The first half did not reach the expected heights though with the hosts having more of the possession but failing to deliver in the final third.

Panama for their part were solid in defence and certainly dominated the hosts in any physical contest all around the pitch.

Bafana did create a good opportunity towards the end of the first half but Bongokuhle Hlongwane put his effort wide.

Bafana made a a double change at halftime with goalkeeper Renaldo Leaner coming on for his debut, replacing captain Ronwen Williams, while Evidence Makgopa came on for the ineffective Lyle Foster upfront.

The changes did not make an immediate difference and it was the visitors that took the lead on the hour mark when Leaner could only manage to parry a low effort on goal and defender Jose Cordoba pounced on the rebound and found the net to stun the home crowd.

Broos needed some inspiration and turned to his bench to make a triple substitution, bringing on Oswin Appollis, Themba Zwane and Thapelo Maseko.

The changes seemed to have good a effect on the team, especially Maseko, who was finding some joy down the left wing.

Bafana equalised with 25 minutes remaining, and it was a stunner, as defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi hit a brilliant long-range left-footed shot that gave the visiting shot-stopper no chance.

The nature of the goal, and the wild celebrations that followed, one would have thought that would spur the home team to get a winner.

Instead, it was Panama who showed that they are not ranked 30th in the FIFA rankings for nothing as the CONCACAF outfit composed themselves before netting the second goal with seven minutes remaining.