Mbokazi ‘refuses’ to be subbed off in Chicago win
by Thato Bosoga · KickOffAfter Chicago Fire welcomed back Mbekezeli Mbokazi in their 1-0 win over Charlotte FC in Major League Soccer (MLS) on Sunday, KickOff has insight into his performance after overcoming a thigh tear.
The Bafana Bafana defender could not return with Chicago following the resumption of the MLS after he got injured during training on his return from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Chicago Fire head coach Gregg Berhalter feared that the former Orlando Pirates defender could miss the rest of the year's campaign after the 21-year-old's prognosis worsened, with suggestions that it required surgery.
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However, ‘TLB’ was pictured back at training a few weeks ago and played his first match since before the World Cup break, as he started and was substituted with ten minutes to go in Chicago Fire's narrow win over Charlotte.
According to a reliable source in Chicago, Mbokazi's return came as a shock and he was originally supposed to play 45 minutes, but the Hluhluwe-born defender insisted on continuing to play in the second half until he was hauled off in the closing stages.
“He’s back. He started and played 80 minutes. I would say it was way quicker, way better than anybody expected. He was originally planned to play 45 minutes and then get subbed off at half-time,” an insider told KickOff.
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“But he wanted to keep playing. He played 80 minutes before they subbed him. He had a goal-line clearance, and really gave Chicago Fire another dimension in possession that they didn’t have without him,” our source added.
Mbokazi had the joint-most clearances in the game (6), tied with his centre-back pairing, Jack Elliott.
Chicago Fire were struggling without the Bafana Bafana centre-back, as they went seven games without a win in all competitions, their worst winless run in two years.