Serero up for the Challenge

Johannesburg - Holland-based midfield sensation Thulani Serero is relishing the prospects of playing against the star-studded Ivory Coast in the Mandela Challenge in Port Elizabeth on November 12, reports the Sowetan.

Serero has been declared fit to play by his club Ajax Amsterdam after he was sidelined by an iliopsoas muscle strain for almost five weeks.

"I'm feeling on top of the world to be back in action. It has not been nice for me to sit in the stands and watch the other guys play," Serero said.

"I played with our reserve team in the game against Sparta last Sunday, which was also watched by senior team coach Frank de Boer, who was highly impressed (with my performance).

"I played for only 60 minutes and was replaced as a precautionary measure. I'm looking forward to playing with the senior team again," Serero said.

He is likely to be given a run on Saturday when the fifth-placed Ajax take on 13th-placed FC Utrecht in the Dutch Eredivisie.

On the Mandela Challenge, Serero said: "It's good to have Ivory Coast coming to celebrate Madiba's contribution to the liberation of South Africa with us this year.

"I would love to feature in that game, but the selection of players is the responsibility of the technical staff."