Bafana add FIVE more players to squad ahead of Ghana showdown

Bafana Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki has called up FIVE more players to the national set-up to beef up the squad ahead of crucial AFCON qualifiers against Ghana and Sudan this week.

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Bafana Bafana play the Black Stars of Ghana on Thursday, 25 March at the FNB Stadium (18:00) before flying to Sudan for the final match against the hosts in Khartoum on Sunday, 28 March.

With certain players still having issues to travel to South Africa due to Covid-19 restrictions, coach Ntseki has decided to add five more new faces to the squad.

Strikers Lebo Maboe and Thabiso Kutumela have been called up as replacements for injured Kermit Erasmus and Bradley Grobler while Thabo Nodada, Mothobi Mvala and Vincent Pule have been added to the squad.

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Team doctor Thulani Ngwenya said while there were some issues regarding certain overseas-based players, they were busy negotiating with respective teams to make sure that all called up players are available for the upcoming games.

Good news for Bafana Bafana was the early arrival of star striker Percy Tau who plays in England for Brighton & Hove Albion.

Tau jetted into the country on Monday morning and joined his team-mates for some video analysis session.

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Bafana Bafana will train this afternoon at Discovery Park (15:30) in Sandton and on Tuesday at FNB Stadium at 18:00.

They will round off their preparations on Wednesday with another training session at the match venue at 16:00 while Ghana will train at 18:00.

Soon after the Ghana match, Bafana Bafana will leave the country for Sudan, via Ethiopia and return home soon after the match on Sunday.

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BAFANA BAFANA SQUAD FOR AFCON QUALIFIERS AGAINST GHANA AND SUDAN

GOALKEEPERS

Veli Mothwa (Amazulu FC), Ronwen Williams (SuperSport Utd), Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs)

DEFENDERS

Thibang Phete (OS Belenenses SAD, Portugal), Siyanda Xulu (Haopel Tel Aviv, Israel), Thulani Hlatshwayo (Orlando Pirates), Musa Lebusa (Mamelodi Sundowns), Innocent Maela (Orlando Pirates), Sfiso Hlanti (Swallows), Thapelo Morena (Mamelodi Sundowns), Craig Martin (Cape Town City)

MIDFIELDERS

Rivaldo Coetzee (Mamelodi Sundowns), Themba Zwane (Mamelodi Sundowns), Thulani Serero (Al Jazira FC, Abu Dhabi), Ben Motshwari (Orlando Pirates), Bongani Zungu (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Keagan Dolly (Montpellier FC, France), Percy Tau (Brighton and Hove Albion, England), Sipho Mbule (SuperSport United), Andile Jali (Mamelodi Sundowns), Luther Singh (Braga FC, Portugal), Dean Furman (Carlisle United, England), Vincent Pule (Orlando Pirates), Thabo Nodada (Cape Town City), Mothobi Mvala (Mamelodi Sundowns)

STRIKERS

Lebo Maboe (Mamelodi Sundowns), Thabiso Kutumela (Maritzburg United), Ruzaigh Gamildien (Swallows), Lyle Foster (Vitoria Guimaraes, Portugal)