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Bafana squad named for crucial AFCON qualifiers

Cape Town - Bafana Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki has announced a 25-man squad for the upcoming 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Ghana and Sudan.

South Africa will face the Black Stars in Accra on Thursday, November 14 and three days later will host Sudan on Sunday, November 17 in Soweto at the Orlando Stadium.

Ntseki retained the bulk of the players he selected for the Nelson Mandela Challenge earlier this month with Ronwen Williams, Eric Mathoho, Kamohelo Mokotjo, Dean Furman, Percy Tau, Bradley Grobler and Thembinkosi Lorch all cracking the nod.

Defender Thulani Hlatshwayo remains the captain for the crucial encounters.

Thamsanqa Mkhize, S'fiso Hlanti and Bongani Zungu return to the squad while Keegan Dolly is replaced by Aubrey Modiba.

"If it is not broken, why fix it," Ntseki said as quoted by the official SAFA website.

"We have decided to keep the bulk of the team because they already understand what we want to do, and you will recall this will be my third camp with them - even though we did not play a match in the first one.

"It was important to keep that consistency as we also don't have too much to work on things seeing that we are playing two match in a space of three days, which also involves significant travelling."

Along with Bafana Bafana, Ghana and Sudan in Group C are the lowly ranked Sao Tome Principe.

Two teams from the group will qualify for AFCON 2021 to be held in Cameroon.

"These are very crucial matches in that they could determine our destiny in the competition," Ntseki continued.

"We have to start on a good footing and avoid playing catch-up as it puts a lot of unnecessary pressure on everyone - the coaching staff, players and the even the fans.

"We have to make sure we start positively because winning brings about a lot of energy to the team, which makes the next assignment not easy but more manageable, but I am confident we will do well."

The squad will assemble for camp on Sunday, November 10 and depart for Ghana the next day.

They return to South Africa on Friday, November 15 to prepare for the Sudan fixture.

BAFANA BAFANA SQUAD:

Goalkeepers

Darren Keet (Leuven, Belgium), Ronwen Williams (SuperSport United), Ricardo Goss (Bidvest Wits)

Defenders

Erick Mathoho (Kaizer Chiefs), Buhle Mkhwanazi, Thulani Hlatshwayo (Bidvest Wits), Thapelo Morena (Mamelodi Sundowns), Mosa Lebusa (Mamelodi Sundowns), Thamsanqa Mkhize (CT City), Innocent Maela (Orlando Pirates), S'fiso Hlanti (Bidvest Wits), 

Midfielders

Kamohelo Mokotjo (Brentford, England), Thato Mokeke (CT City), Dean Furman (SuperSport United), Lebogang Phiri (Guingamp, France), Themba Zwane (Mamelodi Sundowns), Thulani Serero (Al Jazira, Abu Dhabi), Aubrey Modiba (SuperSport United), Mothobi Mvala (Highlands Park), Bongani Zungu (Amiens FC, France)

Forwards

Lebo Mothiba (Strasbourg, France), Bradley Grobler (SuperSport United), Kermit Erasmus (CT City) Thembinkosi Lorch (Orlando Pirates), Percy Tau (Club Brugge, Belgium)

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