Bafana coach keeps the faith
NTSEKI: ONLY TWO CHANGES IN SQUAD TO FACE MALI
Molefi Ntseki basically kept faith in the team that never played, as he named his Bafana Bafana squad yesterday for next month’s Nelson Mandela Challenge against Mali.
The Bafana head coach named a 23-man squad for the game against the West African side, and made just two changes to the side that was called up last month for friendlies against Zambia, and then Madagascar, but didn’t get to play after both games were cancelled because of outbreaks of xenophobic violence in South Africa.
The changes all came from one team, with Mamelodi Sundowns’ Mosa Lebusa and Themba Zwane called up to the squad, while Lebo Maboe and Rivaldo Cotezee miss out.
Lebusa slots into the defence while Cape Town City’s Thato Mokeke, selected as a defender last time around, moves into midfield in Coetzee’s place, and Zwane comes in for Maboe.
Mali were also named as Bafana’s opponents yesterday for the game in a press conference at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth, where the match will be played on October 13.
Bafana have met Mali four times, with South Africa winning 3-0 in their most recent meeting, a friendly in 2015. Bafana have come off worse both their games against Mali at the Africa Cup of Nations finals, however, losing 2-0 in the quarterfinals of the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations in Mali, and also getting knocked out on penalties by Mali in Durban at the same stage of the same competition in 2013.
The other meeting was a 1-1 draw at the 2014 African Nations Championship in South Africa.
“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.
“But it will be crucial for us to start the journey of the Afcon qualifiers in 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.”