Bafana Bafana go into two crucial World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin over the next week without two key attacking midfielders in Themba Zwane and Patrick Maswanganyi.

The veteran Zwane has been unavailable since last October after going down with an Achilles injury in Bafana’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo. Maswanganyi, on the other hand, was recently withdrawn from the squad after missing Orlando Pirates’ win over Mamelodi Sundowns.

On the surface, the absence of the two players presents a problem for Bafana boss Hugo Broos, who is targeting a maximum six points from the two games. Without Zwane, South Africa are missing the key component that gets the team ticking.

Despite being 35, Mshishi is the creative heart of the team. Due to his ability and vast experience, he can sniff an opportunity with ease, and has been an important player in helping Sundowns win seven consecutive league titles.

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