New Bafana coach picks a squad for Mandela

Themba Zwane of South Africa wins header against Manfred Starke of Namibia during the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between South Africa and Namibia at the Al Salam Stadium, Cairo, Egypt on 28 June 2019 ©Gavin Barker/BackpagePix

by Staff Reporter

Wednesday Sep 25, 2019. 16:00

The Mamelodi Sundowns duo of Mosa Lebusa and Themba Zwane have been called up by new South Africa coach Molefi Ntseki in place of clubmates Rivaldo Coetzee and Lebohang Maboe to face Mali in the Nelson Mandela Challenge in Port Elizabeth on Sunday, 13 October.

It will be Ntseki’s first match in charge of Bafana Bafana following the resignation of Stuart Baxter after Bafana Bafana reached the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals in Egypt in July.

It is also the only preparatory match ahead of next month’s back-to-back 2021 Cup of Nations qualifiers against Ghana and Sudan.

“This is a very important match for us as it will determine our way forward in the sense of how we are going to play and approach matches.

“We could not play a match in the last training camp due to reasons known to everyone, but we had good training in anticipation of that game,” said Ntseki.

Zambia and Madagascar last month cancelled games against South Africa in protest at the xenophobic violence in the country.

“But it will be crucial for us to start the journey of the AFCON qualifiers on a positive note. What I also want to see from the players is the mental attitude that there are no friendly matches in international football, we have to do the best we can to win every fixture because winning can become a habit – and on the other hand so can losing.

“Once we do well against Mali, it will stand us in good stead against Ghana and Sudan next month.”

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Darren Keet (OH Leuven, Belgium), Brandon Peterson (Bidvest Wits), Ronwen Williams (SuperSport United)

Defenders: Thulani Hlatshwayo (Bidvest Wits), Mosa Lebusa (Mamelodi Sundowns), Innocent Maela (Orlando Pirates), Mulomowandau Mathoho (Kaizer Chiefs), Thamsanqa Mkhize (Cape Town City), Buhle Mkhwanazi (Bidvest Wits), Thapelo Morena (Mamelodi Sundowns)

Midfielders: Keagan Dolly (Montpellier, France), Dean Furman (SuperSport United), Thembinkosi Lorch (Orlando Pirates), Thato Mokeke (Cape Town City), Kamohelo Mokotjo (Brentford, England), Lebogang Phiri (En Avant Guingamp, France), Thulani Serero (Al Jazira, United Arab Emirates), Percy Tau (Club Bruges, Belgium), Bongani Zungu (Amiens, France), Themba Zwane (Mamelodi Sundowns)

Strikers: Kermit Erasmus (Cape Town City), Bradley Grobler (SuperSport United), Lebo Mothiba (Racing Strasbourg, France)