Bafana Bafana caretaker coach, Helman Mkhalele, is keeping his fingers crossed that clubs will avail players for next month’s Cosafa Cup tournament to be staged in Gqeberha.
Mkhalele named a strong squad of 20 players from 12 different DSTV Premiership sides. The team is a good mixture of youth and experience. Bafana Bafana is hoping to build on a convincing 3-2 victory over Uganda in an international friendly at the Orlando Stadium earlier this month.
The aim is to increase the pool of players for the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in September. Mkhelele says a bigger pool is needed because Bafana Bafana will play six tough qualifying matches between September and November.
“We are going to play six games this year so for us, it’s important that we have bigger options rather than relying on the core that might be thinner when we get into those games. We will be playing back to back, so it is important that we have players that can just come in and just hit the ground running.”
Three Kaizer Chiefs players have been included in the squad, despite the possibility of Amakhosi reaching the final of the CAF Champions League. The final is scheduled for the 17th of July, a day before the final of the Cosafa Cup tournament.
Bafana Bafana squad for the COSAFA Cup:
Goalkeepers:
Bruce Bvuma (Kaizer Chiefs FC)
Sifiso Mlungwana (Golden Arrows FC)— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) June 22, 2021
Bruce Bvumma, Siyabonga Ngezana and Happy Mashinane are the Chiefs’ representatives. Mkhalele says players were selected based on their tactical plan.
“We selected players based on our tactical plan that we want to apply, that is the main reason why we select players. Firstly, we will go with the list or we will include the Kaizer Chiefs players but we do have players that are there if Kaizer Chiefs proceed to the final, so that has been taken care of.”
Mkhalele announces Bafana squad:
