Friendlies and Afcon qualifiers keeping local clubs busy
IN BETWEEN playing friendly matches against visiting Indian club North East United, local sides will keep tabs on the performances of their players involved in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying this weekend.
Golden Arrows and Maritzburg United have a total of eight players involved in Afcon qualifying or junior international friendlies, while AmaZulu have goalkeeper coach Davies Phiri on duty with the Zambian squad and midfielder Petrus Shitembi representing Namibia.
What would have been a routine week of trainingground work-outs for AmaZulu and Maritzburg in preparation for the resumption of the league next weekend has been livened up by the arrival of the Indian Super League outfit.
In preparation for the second edition of the franchisetype league in India, the visitors will face Maritzburg at the Harry Gwala Stadium on Sunday, and then tackle Usuthu in KwaMashu on Tuesday.
Maritzburg
are
without Namibian goalkeeper Virgil Vries and Kenyan defender Brian Mandela, who will represent their national sides in Afcon qualifying against Senegal and Zambia respectively.
Also out for the Team of Choice are defender Kwanda Mngonyama and winger Deolin Mekoa, who are in the under-23 national team for friendlies against hosts Tunisia tomorrow and on Monday.
Mngonyama and Mekoa are joined in the junior national side by Arrows pair Siyabonga Dube and Ricardo Goss. The trip to Tunis is part of the U23s’ preparations for the eight-nation Olympic qualifying tournament in Senegal in November.
Maritzburg coach Mandla Ncikazi and his Arrows counterpart Serame Letsoaka will be particularly keen to see these players develop fast, because they will play key roles in how their teams fare this term.
Arrows’ other players on international duty are Namibians Maximillian Mbaeva, Chris Katjiukua and Deon Hotto.
Maritzburg spokesman Brian Zuma said that in addition to the North East United clash helping them to prepare for the visit of Bloemfontein Celtic on September 12, they looked forward to establishing links with the visitors.
“We welcome the game because it helps us prepare for our next league match. It’s also an opportunity to grow our brand by interacting with foreign clubs,” he said.
Before the challenge against the Indian outfit, AmaZulu travel up the coast on Saturday for the inaugural Uthungulu Mayoral Cup. The one-day event in Richards Bay features PSL giants Mamelodi Sundowns, home side Thanda and amateur team Milford FC.
Thanda and Sundowns will contest the first semi-final at 9am, followed by the game between AmaZulu and Milford. The winners will meet in the final at 3pm.