Ntseki names squad for Ghana and Sudan

 Bafana Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki has announced his 26-man squad to play the last two AFCON Cameroon 2022 qualifiers against Ghana at home and Sudan away.

South Africa play the Black Stars of Ghana on 25 March at FNB Stadium in the penultimate qualifier before travelling to Khartoum for the final encounter against Sudan.

Bafana Bafana are in Group C, together with Ghana, Sao Tome and Principe and Sudan. The Black Stars lead the Group with 9 points, the same number of points as Bafana Bafana but the West Africans are top on head-to-head after beating South Africa 2-0 in the away encounter. Sudan lie third with 6 points while Sao Tome are still to register a point. All teams have 2 games to play before completing their programme and two teams from each group will proceed to the AFCON finals pencilled for Cameroon early next year.

Ntseki has called up a squad that he said had one mandate – to take South Africa to Cameroon next year.

‘’We are looking for results in these two matches. It is as simple as that. We need to qualify for Cameroon and everyone is aware of that mandate,’’ said Ntseki.

Ntseki has kept faith with his seasoned goalkeepers Ronwen Williams and Itumeleng Khune and has added Amazulu rising star Veli Mothwa.

Thibang Phete of OS Belenenses SAD in Portugal returns to the Bafana Bafana squad so are seasoned campaigners Siyanda Xulu of Haope Tel Aviv in Israel and Craig Martin of Cape Town City.

Captain Thulani Hlatshwayo, Mosa Lebusa, Innocent Maela, Sfiso Hlanti and Thapelo Morena complete the defensive line-up.

Mamelodi Sundowns’ Rivaldo Coetzee also makes a welcome return to the national set up in the midfield mainly made up of the tried and tested.

Themba Zwane, Thulani Serero, Ben Motshwari, Bongani Zungu, Keagan Dolly, Percy Tau, Sipho Mbule, Andile Jali, Luther Singh and Dean Furman comprise a solid midfield set-up.

The striking quartet of Kermit Erasmus, Bradley Grobler, Ruzaigh Gamildien and Vitoria Guimaraes of Portugal’s Lyle Foster complete coach Ntseki’s 26-man squad.

BAFANA BAFANA SQUAD FOR AFCON QUALIFIERS AGAINST GHANA AND SUDAN

GOALKEEPERS:

1. Veli Mothwa (Amazulu FC)
2. Ronwen Williams (Supersport Utd)
3. Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs)

DEFENDERS:

1. Thibang Phete (OS Belenenses SAD, Portugal)
2. Siyanda Xulu (Haopel Tel Aviv, Israel)
3. Thulani Hlatshwayo (Orlando Pirates)
4. Musa Lebusa (Mamelodi Sundowns)
5. Innocent Maela (Orlando Pirates)
6. Sfiso Hlanti (Swallows)
7. Thapelo Morena (Mamelodi Sundowns)
8. Craig Martin (Cape Town City)

MIDFIELDERS:

1. Rivaldo Coetzee (Mamelodi Sundowns)
2. Themba Zwane (Mamelodi Sundowns)
3. Thulani Serero (Al Jazira FC, Abu Dhabi)
4. Ben Motshwari (Orlando Pirates)
5. Bongani Zungu (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland)
6. Keagan Dolly (Montpellier FC, France)
7. Percy Tau (Brighton and Hove Albion, England)
8. Sipho Mbule (Supersport United)
9. Andile Jali (Mamelodi Sundowns)
10. Luther Singh (Paços de Ferreira, Portugal)
11. Dean Furman (Carlisle United, England)

STRIKERS:

1. Kermit Erasmus (Mamelodi Sundowns)
2. Bradley Grobler (Supersport United)
3. Ruzaigh Gamildien (Swallows)
4. Lyle Foster (Vitoria Guimaraes, Portugal.