Coach says it’s up to striker to show he deserves second chance as SA face Kenya

Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane has challenged striker Lyle Foster to grab the opportunity he’s giving him with both hands.

Mosimane excluded Foster from his first camp last month, where Bafana won two Afcon qualifiers against Guinea and Eritrea, before outwitting Egypt in a friendly in Cairo.

Mosimane has now included Foster in the squad to do duty in two back-to-back Afcon qualifiers against Kenya, with the first game billed for Orlando Amstel Arena on Friday (6pm), while the second one is in Nairobi four days later.

“It’s important to give him [Foster] a chance also, to be around. Let’s see, the appetite is there and you can only see it at training and in the match. Yes, a very good striker... I don’t think we can forget the goals he scored for us to qualify for the World Cup [he scored twice in 2026 World Cup qualifiers],” Mosimane told a press conference at Milpark yesterday.

“He’s a top player, but in football, yesterday’s price isn’t today’s price. Let’s see what he has... give him a chance to be part of the national team. It’s not up to me, it’s up to him now.”

Foster, who struggled with mental health issues in the past, recently joined US Major League Soccer (MLS) side Houston Dynamo on loan from English second-tier side Burnley. The 26-year-old has since scored a goal from eight appearances in the US.

Mosimane admitted he’s had private chats with Foster with regards to his state of mind, highlighting it was crucial to keep those chats confidential, albeit he must step up to regain the kind of form that saw him join Burnley from Belgian club KVC Westerlo in January 2025.

“We had a private conversation. I can’t say what we talk about because I must protect myself and the player, and respect because that space is sacred. We need to build trust and confidence within the team or between me and the players,” Mosimane explained.

“I believe he is playing now few minutes not 90 minutes, but it’s very good that he’s starting and all that. Honestly he still has a lot of work to catch up to be at his peak, where he was when he went to the UK.”

By yesterday afternoon, of the seven overseas-based players only Olwethu Makhanya, Luther Singh and Ime Okon trained. Relebohile Mofokeng, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Puso Dithejane and Samukele Kabini were expected to arrive last night.