Bafana Bafana legend Doctor Khumalo believes Themba Zwane is at the level of legends such as Jomo Sono and the late John Moshoeu.
Khumalo was reacting to Zwane’s contribution in the friendly match between Bafana and Mozambique on Thursday at Mbombela Stadium.
‘16V’, as Khumalo is referred to in football, says the Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder, Zwane, makes Bafana tick and that is why the team coached by Hugo Broos managed to come back and win the match.
Bafana fought hard to register a 2-1 win and the Kaizer Chiefs icon, Khumalo, reflected on his previous encounters with the Mambas who usually led them but would lose the game.
‘Mshishi’, Zwane as he is known to his admirers, made his return to the national team a month ago after being initially snubbed by the Belgian mentor, Broos, for almost a year.
Upon his return, Zwane proved his critics wrong netting a brace against Sierra Leone while also pulling the strings in Bafana’s 2-1 comeback win in Mpumalanga as Bongokuhle Hlongwane netted a brace.
The 1996 African Cup of Nations winner with Bafana was left impressed with Mshishi’s stellar displays, saying he is the one that holds the key for this generation.
“I don’t know how are they doing it, because also us when we played against them during our era we used to struggle the first 20 minutes,” Khumalo said on SABC Sport when analysing Mozambique.
“They once led us at FNB stadium by 2-0, we came back we scored three. We beat them 3-2. They had the game under control. The game plan was working and spot on for Mozambique – ‘Let’s shut down Themba because he is the one that makes them tick and let’s not allow their wing-play to go in’ but unfortunately they couldn’t master that.
“Second half when they came back, it means the one that had the key to lock Themba lost it because Mshishi came back and mesmerised them and that’s when South Africa started to play.
“Because of the culture of South Africa, there is no way that you won’t have a person like Themba from the start. I’m not talking about the era of 1992. I’m talking about 1978, the era of Jomo Sono. A player like Mshishi is very key in our national team.
“He combined very well with Hlongwane. Clive Barker used to say ‘get Shoes and Doctor to dance’ and this is what Mshishi did.”
Social media users reacted to Zwane’s performances:
@Zakhele Mtolo said:
“Themba Zwane has been the greatest, most cleanest player of our time. Ungathi akanampilo uphila ibhola qha!”
@Tshikalange Nethononda wrote:
“I believe the players who get to experience playing alongside Mshishi know how great a player he is. He makes things look so easy due to his brilliance.”
@Ndobe Bibow commented:
“Themba Zwane is a baller, he’s killing that free role. Bafana Bafana is playing beautiful football.”
Main Image: Themba Zwane/Twitter
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