Pretoria – Bafana Bafana head coach Pitso Mosimane has announced a 23-man squad to face Egypt on the second leg of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier match.
The match will be played at the Cairo International Stadium in Egypt on Sunday, 5 June; however, kick-off time is yet to be announced.
Mosimane has made several changes to the squad that defeated Tanzania one-nil in a friendly international match last Saturday.
The former Supersport coach has called only one uncapped player, Mbongeni Mzimela of Amazulu, while also recalling Bevan Fransman who plays for Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel.
Injured Tottenham Hotspur defender, Bongani Khumalo and midfielder Thanduyise Khuboni of Golden Arrows have been left out, but defender Tsepo Masilela of Maccabi Haifa in Israel returns after recovering from a long layoff through injury.
Mosimane said even though they have defeated Egypt in Johannesburg in March, they expect an even more difficult match.
“We are going to their stable and they know that nothing less than victory will mathematically kick them out of qualification for this tournament.
“So we are expecting a very difficult match with more attack, more aggression, and more stress levels. But I am confident that the team we have selected will be able to absorb all of that.
“This is a match that will need more brains that will also need us to have very high tactical discipline. We have to do everything in our power to get a result because our objective is to come back top of our group as we have Niger breathing down our necks with one point behind us,” he said.
Mosimane has also invited a further four players to train with Bafana.
The Bidvest Wits duo of Bhongolwethu Jayiya and Sifiso Myeni; Punch Masenamela of Kaizer Chiefs as well as Kermit Erasmus of Supersport United will spend a week with the team and are expected to leave camp on Sunday, 29 May.
In the first week of camp, Mosimane will be without the services of skipper Steven Pienaar, Tsepo Masilela and Bevan Fransman who are rounding off their league season, as well as the Orlando Pirates trio of Andile Jali, Happy Jele and Tlou Segolela who are involved in the Nedbank Cup final. They are only expected in Rustenburg from Sunday, 29 May 2011.
Kagisho Dikgacoi, Siboniso Gaxa, Davide Somma, Bernard Parker, and Anele Ngcongca are expected on the first day of camp.
The squad assembles on Sunday, 22 May, at the OR Tambo Southern Sun Hotel and leaves the following day to Rustenburg where they will be holding camp at the Royal Marang Sports Complex.
Bafana squad goalkeepers are Itumeleng Khune, Wayne Sandilands, Mzimela Mbongeni. Defenders are Morgan Gould, Bevan Fransman, Tsepo Masilela, Siboniso Gaxa, Mzivukile Tom, Anele Ngcongca, Siyabonga Sangweni and Happy Jele.
Midfielders include Kagisho Dikgacoi, Hlompho Kekana, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Steven Pienaar, Thulani Serero, Andile Jali, Simphiwe Tshabalala and George Maluleka.
Strikers are Bernard Parker, Davide Somma, Katlego Mphela and Tlou Segolela. – Nthambeleni Gabara, BuaNews
