Foster suffers Bafana goal-scoring record blow
by Thato Bosoga · KickOffBafana Bafana striker Lyle Foster has missed out on entering the top ten goal-scorers of all-time in the national team and potentially chasing Benni McCarthy's record after missing out on Pitso Mosimane's first squad.
Mosimane did not want to discuss players who were not in his squad, when probed about players who did not make his final roster for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Guinea and Eritrea and an international friendly against Egypt.
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Foster was initially included in the preliminary squad but did not make the final cut, with indications that he may not be one of the preferred strikers under the former Mamelodi Sundowns head coach, who bemoaned a lack of sufficient pool of strikers at his disposal, after two defenders, Ime Okon and Samukele Kabini rescued a 2-1 win over Guinea at Orlando Stadium in the opening match of Group D on Saturday.
The Burnley forward, who is on loan at Major League Soccer side Houston Dynamo, was the leading goal-scorer in the current Bafana setup with ten goals after last scoring in a 3-2 win over Zimbabwe in the 2025 AFCON tournament, in the group stages.
The former Orlando Pirates striker is two goals shy of entering the top ten of the leading goal-scorers of all-time in the South African national team, with former winger Siphiwe Tshabalala occupying tenth spot with 12 goals, tied with ex forward Tokelo Rantie, who is at number nine with the same number of goals.
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With age on his side, Foster (26), was the biggest hope in the current generation to chase the all-time record of 31 goals set by former striker Benni McCarthy but a change of guard could have put paid to those dreams, at least for now.
The baton, in this regard, has fallen to Pirates winger Oswin Appollis, who has eight goals for the national team.