Bafana Bafana defender Siyabonga Ngezana has returned to fitness after a challenging three-month injury hiatus and is now racing against time to convince coach Hugo Broos of his readiness for the 2026 World Cup.
The former Kaizer Chiefs player had cemented his position as the preferred partner for Mbekezeli Mbokazi in central defence but had been sidelined with a knee injury since late January.
He missed two friendly encounters against Panama in March, leaving Broos uncertain about his availability for the World Cup and whether he would manage to regain match fitness in time.
However, Ngezana made a comeback as a substitute on Monday for his Romanian club, Steaua Bucharest, as they strive for a spot in next season’s European club competitions.
His last appearance for FCSB was during a 1-1 home draw against the Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahçe at the end of January.
Ngezana featured for the final 12 minutes of a thrilling 3-2 away victory against Farul Constantia.
This win helps FCSB maintain its position at the summit of the relegation group standings in the Romanian league, keeping alive their hopes for a place in next season’s Europa Conference League.
Following the completion of the 30-match regular season, the leading six teams in the Romanian league enter a playoff to determine the eventual champion.
Although FCSB secured seventh place and thus missed out on the championship playoffs, they currently lead the relegation playoff table. If they top this table, they’ll enter a playoff for a European competition spot next season.
FCSB enjoyed success in the last two Romanian championships with Ngezana being a key player throughout both campaigns. They participated in the Champions League this season before dropping to the Europa League, but the 2025/26 season has not met expectations for Ngezana and his teammates.
Compiled by SportArena.au
Fanpage: SportArena.au.
LiveScore – Live Sports Results & Odds.
