Bafana warm up for Afcon
BAFANA Bafana are due to play two friendlies this week – the first against Namibia tomorrow and the second against Zambia on Sunday.
The game against Namibia will be the national team’s first action of 2020 and first game in nearly a year. They were last in action last November in a 1-0 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier victory over Sudan.
While the results from the games won’t matter in the grand scheme of things, the games will serve as vital preparation for crucial home and away qualifiers against Sao Tome and Principe next month.
There were some surprise inclusions in the squad. Lesser known names included are the 26-year-old defender Thibang Phete who plays for Belenenses SAD in Portugal and Kurt Abrahams who plays for KVC Westerlo in Belgium.
Maritzburg United forward Thabiso Kutumela was called up to the squad as was 2017 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations Golden boot winner Luther Singh. Apart from Kutumela, the only other KZN-based player in the squad was Golden Arrows midfielder Gladwin Shitolo. Veterans Hlompho Kekana and Itumeleng Khune were left out of the squad. At one stage, Khune looked destined to beat former Bafana Bafana skipper Aaron Mokoena’s all-time appearance record for the country (107).
Khune, who boasts 91 national team caps, now faces a strong challenge to break the century mark, given that Ronwen Williams and Darren Keet are above him in the pecking order.
Other exclusions from the squad were in-form AmaZulu striker Bongi Ntuli and former SuperSport United captain Dean Furman.
SQUAD: Defenders: Thibang Phete (OS Belenenses SAD, Portugal), Motjeka Madisha (Mamelodi Sundowns), Thulani Hlatshwayo (Orlando Pirates), S’fiso Hlanti, Innocent Maela (Orlando Pirates), Mosa Lebusa (Mamelodi Sundowns), Abubaker Mobara (Cape Town City), Reeve Frosler (Kaizer Chiefs).
Midfielders: Andile Jali, Mothobi Mvala, Themba Zwane (all Sundowns), Thabo Nodada (Cape Town City), Teboho Mokoena (SuperSport), Gladwin Shitolo (Golden Arrows), Keagan Dolly (Montpellier), Percy Tau (Anderlecht, Belgium), Thabiso Kutumela (Maritzburg), Sipho Mbule (Supersport), Luther Singh (Braga FC). Strikers: Kermit Erasmus (Cape Town City), Kurt Abrahams (KVC Westerlo, Belgium), Lebohang Manyama (Kaizer Chiefs).