‘If it’s meant to happen it will’: Pirates’ PSL top scorer Mabasa on Bafana call

DStv Premiership Golden Boot winner Tshegofatso Mabasa is adamant his time at Bafana Bafana will come, and he is not despondent that national team coach Hugo Broos seems yet to be convinced of his scoring prowess.

The Orlando Pirates striker finished the season on 16 goals, one ahead of Stellenbosch FC's Iqraam Rayners, who was named by Broos in his preliminary squad for the huge World Cup qualifiers against Nigeria away on June 7 and Zimbabwe in Bloemfontein on June 11. 

Broos will name his final squad on Thursday, and Mabasa may still sneak in if Broos changes his mind or cannot procure all his strikers.

Speaking at Orlando Stadium on Tuesday ahead of Saturday's Nedbank Cup final against Mamelodi Sundowns, where Pirates will aim to defend the trophy at Mbombela Stadium (3pm), Mabasa insisted he was not worried about a Bafana call-up.

“In all honesty, I'm not [disappointed]. Yes, every player wants to play for the national team but I believe if it's meant to happen it will happen at some point,” Mabasa said.

“You look at 'Mshishi' [Sundowns star Themba Zwane]. He wasn't selected at all but he's now part of every camp. For me it's not something I think about a lot.”

After his league goals helped Pirates finish second in the Premiership, though a whopping 23 points behind seventh-time successive champions Sundowns, Mabasa has his sights on ensuring Bucs defend the Nedbank trophy, as they did earlier in 2023-24 in the MTN8.

Pirates beat Downs on penalties in the cup final in October, so Saturday's clash makes for a fascinating rematch. 

It has not always been plain sailing for Mabasa at the Sea Robbers. The 27-year-old striker was loaned to Moroka Swallows at the start of the campaign and was only recalled in January after showing good form at the Dube Birds, scoring six league goals in 13 outings. He gathered more momentum returning to Pirates, adding 10 in 13.

Mabasa has also enjoyed a good Nedbank run with three goals and two assists in the four matches Bucs played to reach Saturday's final. 

“I've always been a person who believes in myself,” Mabasa said of his topsy-turvy stay at Pirates.

“I feel like the club gave me the right platform. With the amount of chances we create it was just a matter of time [before his scoring form].

“I believe in my ability and I want to score goals and that's exactly what I was doing.”

Mabasa credits Bucs coach Jose Riveiro for showing belief in him . The big former Bloemfontein Celtic striker took his chance after Bafana star Evidence Makgopa — the forward Bucs relied on for goals in the first half of the season — returned from the Africa Cup of Nations in February with a niggling injury.

“He's a coach who believes in his players. As long as you put in hard work at training he continues to give you the confidence.

“As long as you find a coach who believes in your ability and gives you that confidence from training, then you're bound to perform at some point.

“That's exactly what happened with me and everything has been going well for me so far.”

Other than captain and centreback Tapelo Xoki, who will miss the final through injury, Riveiro should have a full complement of players available for the final.

Under Riveiro Bucs have been South Africa's cup kings of the past two seasons, winning three of the last four domestic finals.