Bafana Bafana midfielder Sphephelo Sithole celebrates the win over South Korea.
Redemptions in football are rarely this swift, or this sweet. For Sphephelo Sithole, the journey from national villain to midfield general took two weeks, culminating in a colossal performance during Bafana Bafana’s historic 1-0 victory over South Korea.
When the final whistle blew in Monterrey, sealing South Africa’s first-ever passage to the FIFA World Cup knockout stages, “Yaya” dropped to his knees. It was a moment of pure catharsis for a player who had spent the preceding couple of weeks in the eye of a social media storm and the butt of many jokes.
In Bafana's tournament opener, the midfielder endured a nightmare evening against Mexico, turning the ball over cheaply for El Tri’s opening goal before a reckless second-half challenge saw him sent off.
Suspended for the subsequent draw with the Czech Republic, the 27-year-old was handed a high-stakes return by Hugo Broos due to Teboho Mokoena’s disciplinary absence.
