Bafana’s Mosimane coy on Kabini impact

'We coaches sometimes want to sound intelligent because a goal was scored,' said the Bafana head coach. Pitso Mosimane refused to take credit for the impact made by Samukele Kabini, who came off the bench to score the winning goal in Bafana Bafana’s 2-1 win over Guinea on Saturday in their opening Group D 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Orlando Amstel Arena. Kabini finds the winner for Bafana Kabini used his physical strength to hold off a challenge and stick a fine low finish through the legs of Seydouba Sylla in the 77th minute. The decision to bring on Kabini twenty minutes earlier was partly forced by an injury to Aubrey Modiba, who Mosimane confirmed afterwards has a tight hamstring. But a decision was still made to bring on Kabini ahead of Mamelodi Sundowns’ in-form Fawaaz Basadien. “I don’t want to take credit. We coaches sometimes want to sound intelligent because a goal was scored. We are overloaded with left backs. Badadien is also good but Kabini is playing at a good level, he needs to be given a chance. “He is physically bigger, a solid boy, strong. Players from Guinea are big, tall and strong.” Kabini, 22, has been a regular at Norwegian top flight side Molde FK this season. He is not, however, a prolific goalscorer, with just one goal and one assist in 20 appearances in all competitions for Molde this season. This was also his first goal for Bafana. The scoring of Bafana’s opening goal, central defender Ime Okon, also scored his first goal for his country on Saturday. Bafana still clearly have a problem in terms of finding a goal-grabbing striker, but Mosimane was happy enough with the contributions of Iqraam Rayners and Yanele Mbuthuma, who replaced Rayners, and provided the assist for Kabini’s goal. “It is a South African challenge that we don’t score easily, two out of six (chances) maybe. But you can’t complain, we had the right mentality, we wanted to play and fight and press,” said Mosimane. ‘I was happy for Mbuthuma’ “Iqraam made good runs in the first half and the boys didn’t see him. He was fighting and pressing from the top. “I was happy for Mbuthuma to make this assist. It is good for his confidence, I thought he would convert the other one.” Mbuthuma badly shanked wide from a fantastic late chance to make it 3-1. Mosimane also referenced a second half chance where a long punt from Ronwen Williams nearly put Rayners clean through. “Iqraam was also good, the ball just didn’t fall for him,” added Mosimane. Bafana left for Egypt on Sunday night, and will play Eritrea on Wednesday in their second Group D qualifier at the Al Salaam Stadium in Cairo. They will then play Egypt in a friendly at the Cairo International Stadium on October 4.