Ryan’s over the Moon as he cracks nod

Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter’s squad, which was announced this week for the four-team invitational tournament in Zambia next week, has been welcomed as he has included a few deserving youngsters including Kaizer Chiefs’ marauding striker Ryan Moon (above).

The 21-year-old has been in good form and scored some critical goals for Amakhosi and he has impressed with his positioning and timing. Although is it not the first time Moon has been called up having been in the team that played in the Cosafa Cup last year, he feels it is a great achievement.

“Bafana is Bafana. When Spain call up youngsters it doesn’t change, it is still Spain,” he said yesterday. “It feels great to be part of the team.”

For a young man, Moon is doing fairly well having joined Amakhosi as a relative unknown and gradually graduating to the senior team and now being called up for Bafana.

“It motivates me. The more I achieve, the more I want to work harder. There is still a lot I want to achieve as a footballer. This is just the beginning, there is more I still have to achieve.

“I just had to work hard and give my name in the hat for a call-up. I am looking forward to learning from the big guys there, the likes of Bongani Zungu, Keagan Dolly and Kamohelo Mokotjo who play overseas,” he said.

Moon has said his ultimate dream is to make his mark in Europe and he sees the call-up as a step in the right direction.

The other youngsters Baxter named in his squad are Bidvest Wits’s 20-year-old Reeve Frosler, Maritzburg United’s 21-yearold Siphesihle Ndlovu, SuperSport United’s 20-year-old Tebogo Mokoena and 22-yearold Aubrey Modiba, Ajax Cape Town’s 23-year-old Brandon Petersen and Al-Ahly’s 20-year-old Phakamani Mahlambi.