SA secured a 2-0 victory over Lesotho at Peter Mokaba Stadium in their first match of the international week, and the fixture also marked the return of forward Tau to the national team after his struggles at the end of his Al Ahly tenure.
Tau has since moved to Qatar SC where he is gradually rediscovering his inspiration for club football. Now, speaking exclusively to the Siya crew, Carelse emphasized Tau's importance to Hugo Broos' team.
"I think he did very well. If you looked at how he played, he led from the front. Of course it was a bit tough for him considering that he had been out (of Bafana) for some time. But in the second half he was more into the game. If you miss chances it's because you are in good positions and next time you can score. I was happy with him," Carelse told Soccer Laduma.
Carelse further emphasized that Tau's recall to the national team was the right decision and advocated for his continued selection.
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"Yes, he should continue calling him. You need a player like him in the national team. He has the experience and has played in many tough games for both club and country and the young players are learning a lot from him. We still need him in the national team," Carelse concluded.
Tau, now just one game short of reaching 50 caps for Bafana Bafana, has scored 15 international goals to date. His leadership and experience could play a crucial role as South Africa continue their World Cup qualification campaign.
He has a good chance of retaining a spot in the starting line-up after Broos praised him for a ''fantastic'' performance against Lesotho where he ''worked'' hard for the team.
Bafana Bafana will face Benin this evening in Ivory Coast. The match was moved to a neutral venue as Benin does not have a CAF-approved stadium. All eyes will be on Tau and the team as they look to build on their previous victory and move closer to USA 2026.
