Mbokazi and Dithejane help Chicago Fire beat Atlanta 3-2
Bafana Bafana players Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Puso Dithejane were part of the Chicago Fire side that fought back to win 3-2 away to Atlanta United.
Two Bafana Bafana players were involved as Chicago Fire won a five-goal MLS match away to Atlanta United on Sunday morning, South African time, according to iDiski Times. The final score at Mercedes-Benz Stadium was 3-2 to the visitors, who had trailed early on.
How the match unfolded
Atlanta took the lead after only four minutes, when Tomás Jacob scored the first goal. Chicago drew level in the 30th minute through Anton Salétros.
The visitors went ahead after the break. Anzor Mekvabishvili made it 2-1 in the 51st minute, and Philip Zinckernagel added a third in the 60th. Breel Embolo scored for Atlanta in the 67th minute to reduce the deficit, but Chicago kept their lead until the final whistle.
Mbekezeli Mbokazi, who has only recently come back from an injury, started the match and played the full 90 minutes. Puso Dithejane was brought on in the 68th minute.
Chicago move into sixth
The result lifts the side coached by Gregg Berhalter to sixth place in the standings. They have 51 points from 31 matches, with 15 wins, 10 defeats and six draws.
Bafana qualifiers next
The performance comes at a good time for both players. Each has been included in Pitso Mosimane’s provisional group for South Africa’s two qualifiers against Kenya next month, on the road to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
For Mbokazi, a former Orlando Pirates captain, the call-up marks a return to the national set-up. He has not been in the squad since the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the Americas, as he picked up an injury. Dithejane, meanwhile, was the scorer of the only goal when Bafana beat Egypt in a friendly in Cairo.
Having both players playing regularly for their club will be encouraging for supporters ahead of the double-header. Mbokazi’s full 90 minutes is a useful sign of his match fitness, while Dithejane’s appearance off the bench shows he remains involved at Chicago.
What to watch for
- Whether Mbokazi and Dithejane make Mosimane’s final squad for the Kenya fixtures.
- How Chicago fare in their remaining matches as they try to hold their place in the top six.
The squad is described as preliminary, so the final selection is still to be confirmed.
This story is based on reporting by iDiski Times.
