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"title": "Enjoy the brilliance of Sundowns/Bafana Bafana playmaker Themba Zwane while it lasts",
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"contents": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bafana Bafana dazzled a crowd of more than 30,000 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha, on Friday, as they sprinted to a comfortable 5-0 win over Congo-Brazzaville in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier. </span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2408362\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2274468.jpg\" alt=\"zwane bafana\" width=\"1150\" height=\"1726\" /> <em>Themba Zwane of South Africa celebrates his 50th match at the 2025 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo-Brazzaville at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on 11 October 2024. (Photo: Richard Huggard / Gallo Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During this rampant display, several players performed to the peak of their powers, including player of the match and central midfielder Teboho Mokoena, who scored a brace and helped Bafana Bafana dominate the midfield battle against the Congolese.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2408361\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2274460.jpg\" alt=\"bafana congo\" width=\"1995\" height=\"998\" /> <em>Teammates congratulate goal-scorer Iqraam Rayners of South Africa during the 2025 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo-Brazzaville at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on 11 October 2024. (Photo: Richard Huggard / Gallo Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Winger Oswin Appollis provided a hat-trick of assists, while youngster Rushwin Dortley was composure personified alongside Grant Kekana at the heart of Bafana Bafana’s defence. Fullbacks Aubrey Modiba and Khuliso Mudau were solid in both defence and attack. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There was even room for a late goalkeeping cameo by Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams after he missed South Africa’s first two Afcon qualifiers in September due to injury.</span>\r\n\r\n<b>Dazzling Zwane</b>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2408364\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2274686.jpg\" alt=\"themba zwane bafana\" width=\"1988\" height=\"994\" /> <em>Themba Zwane of South Africa back-kicks the ball during the 2025 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo-Brazzaville at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on 11 October 2024. (Photo: Richard Huggard / Gallo Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the night belonged to creative midfielder Themba Zwane. On the occasion of his 50th Bafana Bafana cap, Zwane danced and dazzled, at times leaving South Africa’s central African opponents dizzy and dismayed.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coincidentally, that haul of appearances saw Zwane match revered and retired Bafana Bafana playmaker Doctor Khumalo, a player to whom he has constantly been compared.</span>\r\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Congratulations Themba Zwane on your 50th Cap?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? <a href=\"https://t.co/YIj3d8BTes\">pic.twitter.com/YIj3d8BTes</a></p>\r\n— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/GaytonMcK/status/1844830664845410717?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 11, 2024</a></blockquote>\r\n<script async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"></script>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://x.com/GaytonMcK/status/1844830664845410717\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https://x.com/GaytonMcK/status/1844830664845410717</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In another coincidence, Khumalo retired at 35 years old and Zwane is now 35. But the latter appears fit enough to play for at least another three years. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Should Zwane remain active and also avoid any serious injuries, Bafana Bafana’s boss Hugo Broos will certainly bring him along if the team qualifies for the 2026 World Cup in the US. As it stands, there is no player available to Broos who can do what Zwane does with ease.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2408360\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2274448.jpg\" alt=\"zwane congo\" width=\"1668\" height=\"1196\" /> <em>Themba Zwane of South Africa harries Merveil Valthy Streeker Ndockyt of Congo-Brazzaville in the 2025 African Cup of Nations qualifier at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on 11 October 2024. (Photo: Richard Huggard / Gallo Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even though the Belgian coach initially ignored the Mamelodi Sundowns playmaker when he was charged with resurrecting Bafana Bafana in 2021, the pair are now inseparable.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ahead of the Afcon in Ivory Coast earlier this year, Broos lavished Zwane with praise, saying he was the best African player he had coached. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“You don’t have to tell him so much. I certainly don’t tell him much. I just ask him to go out there and play,” Broos said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“He knows where he has to be, what he has to do when he is on the pitch. He feels it because he is technically good. He is a good player; he can give the pass and he can score.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In sport, some athletes make the extraordinary look ordinary, from Lionel Messi’s genius to Roger Federer gliding on tennis courts with the finesse of a ballerina, as well as recently retired Spanish playmaker Andrés Iniesta mesmerising rivals.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These stars and a few others make it appear as though they are not breaking any sweat while on duty, despite the opposite being true.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From a South African sporting context, Zwane sits in the upper echelons of such athletes. He effortlessly showed this against the Congolese. </span>\r\n<h4><b>Bafana masterclass</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 5-0 win over Congo was not only Bafana Bafana’s biggest win under Hugo Broos, it was the team’s greatest numerical victory in a competitive match since South Africa’s readmission to international soccer in 1992.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Broos also expressed his joy at how it came, with the performance being the most dominant since the Belgian took the reins in 2021. </span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2408363\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2274479.jpg\" alt=\"bafana broos\" width=\"1772\" height=\"886\" /> <em>Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos. (Photo: Richard Huggard / Gallo Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It was really fantastic, with many goals, five goals. With good football, modern football, attacking football and a high rhythm. That shows what a group of players I have, a group of players I’m very proud of,” Broos told journalists after Friday’s win.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“The guys wanted to make a statement and they did. With good football. But it’s only three points. On Tuesday we have another game, where those five goals don’t count,” Broos said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This success came after Bafana Bafana’s unconvincing displays in the first two 2025 Afcon qualifiers versus Uganda and South Sudan last month, where they drew 2-2 and won 3-2, respectively. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa and the Congolese will clash again in a reverse fixture on Tuesday, 15 October in Brazzaville. Victory in that match will almost certainly see Broos and his men qualify for the next continental spectacle in Morocco next year.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“So, we have to refocus after taking this step to qualify. On Tuesday it will be the second step, so let’s try not to spoil it. We must have the same performance that we had in this game so that we can come back with another victory, so that we can celebrate another qualification for Afcon,” the 72-year-old said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bafana Bafana’s crucial tie against Congo-Brazzaville takes place on Tuesday, 15 October, with kick-off at 6pm. </span><b>DM</b>",
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"description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bafana Bafana dazzled a crowd of more than 30,000 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha, on Friday, as they sprinted to a comfortable 5-0 win over Congo-Brazzaville in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier. </span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2408362\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1150\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2408362\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2274468.jpg\" alt=\"zwane bafana\" width=\"1150\" height=\"1726\" /> <em>Themba Zwane of South Africa celebrates his 50th match at the 2025 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo-Brazzaville at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on 11 October 2024. (Photo: Richard Huggard / Gallo Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During this rampant display, several players performed to the peak of their powers, including player of the match and central midfielder Teboho Mokoena, who scored a brace and helped Bafana Bafana dominate the midfield battle against the Congolese.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2408361\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1995\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2408361\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2274460.jpg\" alt=\"bafana congo\" width=\"1995\" height=\"998\" /> <em>Teammates congratulate goal-scorer Iqraam Rayners of South Africa during the 2025 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo-Brazzaville at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on 11 October 2024. (Photo: Richard Huggard / Gallo Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Winger Oswin Appollis provided a hat-trick of assists, while youngster Rushwin Dortley was composure personified alongside Grant Kekana at the heart of Bafana Bafana’s defence. Fullbacks Aubrey Modiba and Khuliso Mudau were solid in both defence and attack. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There was even room for a late goalkeeping cameo by Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams after he missed South Africa’s first two Afcon qualifiers in September due to injury.</span>\r\n\r\n<b>Dazzling Zwane</b>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2408364\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1988\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2408364\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2274686.jpg\" alt=\"themba zwane bafana\" width=\"1988\" height=\"994\" /> <em>Themba Zwane of South Africa back-kicks the ball during the 2025 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo-Brazzaville at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on 11 October 2024. (Photo: Richard Huggard / Gallo Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the night belonged to creative midfielder Themba Zwane. On the occasion of his 50th Bafana Bafana cap, Zwane danced and dazzled, at times leaving South Africa’s central African opponents dizzy and dismayed.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coincidentally, that haul of appearances saw Zwane match revered and retired Bafana Bafana playmaker Doctor Khumalo, a player to whom he has constantly been compared.</span>\r\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Congratulations Themba Zwane on your 50th Cap?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? <a href=\"https://t.co/YIj3d8BTes\">pic.twitter.com/YIj3d8BTes</a></p>\r\n— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/GaytonMcK/status/1844830664845410717?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 11, 2024</a></blockquote>\r\n<script async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"></script>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://x.com/GaytonMcK/status/1844830664845410717\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https://x.com/GaytonMcK/status/1844830664845410717</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In another coincidence, Khumalo retired at 35 years old and Zwane is now 35. But the latter appears fit enough to play for at least another three years. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Should Zwane remain active and also avoid any serious injuries, Bafana Bafana’s boss Hugo Broos will certainly bring him along if the team qualifies for the 2026 World Cup in the US. As it stands, there is no player available to Broos who can do what Zwane does with ease.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2408360\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1668\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2408360\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2274448.jpg\" alt=\"zwane congo\" width=\"1668\" height=\"1196\" /> <em>Themba Zwane of South Africa harries Merveil Valthy Streeker Ndockyt of Congo-Brazzaville in the 2025 African Cup of Nations qualifier at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on 11 October 2024. (Photo: Richard Huggard / Gallo Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even though the Belgian coach initially ignored the Mamelodi Sundowns playmaker when he was charged with resurrecting Bafana Bafana in 2021, the pair are now inseparable.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ahead of the Afcon in Ivory Coast earlier this year, Broos lavished Zwane with praise, saying he was the best African player he had coached. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“You don’t have to tell him so much. I certainly don’t tell him much. I just ask him to go out there and play,” Broos said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“He knows where he has to be, what he has to do when he is on the pitch. He feels it because he is technically good. He is a good player; he can give the pass and he can score.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In sport, some athletes make the extraordinary look ordinary, from Lionel Messi’s genius to Roger Federer gliding on tennis courts with the finesse of a ballerina, as well as recently retired Spanish playmaker Andrés Iniesta mesmerising rivals.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These stars and a few others make it appear as though they are not breaking any sweat while on duty, despite the opposite being true.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From a South African sporting context, Zwane sits in the upper echelons of such athletes. He effortlessly showed this against the Congolese. </span>\r\n<h4><b>Bafana masterclass</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 5-0 win over Congo was not only Bafana Bafana’s biggest win under Hugo Broos, it was the team’s greatest numerical victory in a competitive match since South Africa’s readmission to international soccer in 1992.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Broos also expressed his joy at how it came, with the performance being the most dominant since the Belgian took the reins in 2021. </span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2408363\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1772\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2408363\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2274479.jpg\" alt=\"bafana broos\" width=\"1772\" height=\"886\" /> <em>Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos. (Photo: Richard Huggard / Gallo Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It was really fantastic, with many goals, five goals. With good football, modern football, attacking football and a high rhythm. That shows what a group of players I have, a group of players I’m very proud of,” Broos told journalists after Friday’s win.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“The guys wanted to make a statement and they did. With good football. But it’s only three points. On Tuesday we have another game, where those five goals don’t count,” Broos said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This success came after Bafana Bafana’s unconvincing displays in the first two 2025 Afcon qualifiers versus Uganda and South Sudan last month, where they drew 2-2 and won 3-2, respectively. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa and the Congolese will clash again in a reverse fixture on Tuesday, 15 October in Brazzaville. Victory in that match will almost certainly see Broos and his men qualify for the next continental spectacle in Morocco next year.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“So, we have to refocus after taking this step to qualify. On Tuesday it will be the second step, so let’s try not to spoil it. We must have the same performance that we had in this game so that we can come back with another victory, so that we can celebrate another qualification for Afcon,” the 72-year-old said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bafana Bafana’s crucial tie against Congo-Brazzaville takes place on Tuesday, 15 October, with kick-off at 6pm. </span><b>DM</b>",
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"summary": "He may have not scored or assisted as South Africa trounced Congo-Brazzaville in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Friday, 11 October. Nevertheless, Themba Zwane put on a show that left those who were watching the match in awe.",
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Themba Zwane of South Africa celebrates his 50th match at the 2025 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo-Brazzaville at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on 11 October 2024. (Photo: Richard Huggard / Gallo Images)
Teammates congratulate goal-scorer Iqraam Rayners of South Africa during the 2025 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo-Brazzaville at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on 11 October 2024. (Photo: Richard Huggard / Gallo Images)
Themba Zwane of South Africa back-kicks the ball during the 2025 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo-Brazzaville at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on 11 October 2024. (Photo: Richard Huggard / Gallo Images)
Themba Zwane of South Africa harries Merveil Valthy Streeker Ndockyt of Congo-Brazzaville in the 2025 African Cup of Nations qualifier at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on 11 October 2024. (Photo: Richard Huggard / Gallo Images)
Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos. (Photo: Richard Huggard / Gallo Images)