THIS LEFT-BACK IS PROVING THE X FACTOR FOR SA
By Nick Said
One of the key factors in South Africa’s record 6-0 demolition of Seychelles in their African Nations Cup qualifier at the FNB Stadium on Saturday was the delivery from wide areas by left-back Sifiso Hlanti. The BidVest Wits defender has seen a rebirth of his international career under Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter, who values not just his ability to get quality ball into the box, but also his tireless work-rate up and down the left-hand side. Hlanti will be key again today, when Bafana tackle the same opposition in Victoria, looking to take another step towards the Nations Cup finals.
Bafana had far too much aerial power for the Seychelles and it will again be a weapon for the team in the return fixture with Hlanti and right-back Rama Mphahlele tasked with the delivery. The former says he takes great pride in serving his country.
“I would be happy to be in the Bafana squad for any game. The national team can give me a good platform, where I can show my character and make things happen‚” Hlanti said recently.
“I respect whoever I’m competing with in that position. It’s good for me as a person and a player to improve, if I’m not good enough in certain aspects. I’m not afraid to face any challenge in the game.”
Hlanti was little heralded in the early part of his career, having missed out on a move to Orlando Pirates as a teenager when his parents insisted he finished his schooling rather than sign a contract with the Buccaneers.
He made his Premier Soccer League debut for Lamontville Golden Arrows in the 2011-12 season, but featured little and ended up at National First Division side Thanda Royal Zulu the following campaign.
That earned him a move to top-flight AmaZulu, where he spent three seasons, the last in the second-tier. But it was a move to BidVest Wits in the second half of the 2015-16 campaign that changed his fortunes.
He became an instant regular under coach Gavin Hunt and was a key player in their league title success in 2016-17. The 28-year-old has started every game this season too.
It was his performances for the Clever Boys that saw him win his first cap for Bafana against Cameroon in March 2016 and he has since gone on to play for Bafana on 10 occasions, seemingly seeing off the challenge of Mamelodi Sundowns’ Tebogo Langerman for the left-back position in the national side.