Sowetan

Wits snatch Bafana star

Ngoma ruled out for SA’s first match

- By Tshepang Mailwane

Bafana Bafana’s young group of players are itching to get on to the pitch and show the country that they are indeed the future of South African football.

Bafana Bafana will begin their Cosafa Cup campaign in the quarterfin­als against the winner of Group A at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in North West on Sunday (5pm).

By the time of going to print yesterday, Bafana’s opponents had not been confirmed as both Tanzania and Angola were in action.

Bafana are confident they will be ready come Sunday, but they’ll be without Cape Town City winger Aubrey Ngoma, who has been ruled out of the competitio­n with a knee injury.

This is a big blow for the side, especially when you look at how many opportunit­ies Ngoma creates with that sweet left foot of his. But this gives other players in the team a chance to raise their hands for future callups, so there are positives.

One man who will be looking to make the most of the opportunit­y in the team is midfielder Lehlogonol­o Masalesa.

He has been named the team captain and told the media how easy his job will be because of the strong bond the players have built in a short space of time in camp.

“It’s easy to captain these group of players. They are good guys, we hang around a lot in our rooms and we get along well. My relationsh­ip with the players won’t change. I’ll remain who I was prior to knowing that I would be captain. It’s a big honour,” said Masalesa.

As much as the coach has emphasised the fact that SA wants to develop new players, it should not take away that these are a good group of players.

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 ?? / LEFTY SHIVAMBU / GALLO IMAGES ?? Anthony Laffor returned to fitness in the previous match against Esperance.
/ LEFTY SHIVAMBU / GALLO IMAGES Anthony Laffor returned to fitness in the previous match against Esperance.
 ?? / TWITTER ?? Bidvest Wits new signing Daylon Claasen, centre, is welcomed by the club’s officials George Mogotsi and Jonathan Schloss..
/ TWITTER Bidvest Wits new signing Daylon Claasen, centre, is welcomed by the club’s officials George Mogotsi and Jonathan Schloss..

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