Opposition Watch: Stuart Baxter Name 25-Man For Zambia

Olamide Sunday Oyetunji Monday, July 31, 2017

Super Eagles Afcon race opponent South Africa Bafana Bafana has announced a 25-man squad to face Nigeria's 2018 Fifa World Cup race opposition Zambia in the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers. The first leg clash of the third and final round will take place on Saturday,12 August at a venue still to be anannounce.

Baxter has kept the bulk of the squad making only five changes. Kaizer Chiefs goal minder Bruce Bvuma, who was in the 2017 COSAFA Castle Cup squad, returns after he missed out on the two-legged CHAN qualifiers against Botswana. He takes the place of Khulekani Kubheka.

In defence, Malebogo ModiseFC nd Junaid Sait make way for Denwin Farmer (Supersport United) and Ayabulela Konqobe of Amazulu. Supersport United midfielder, Teboho Mokoena is back in the squad after he was withdrawn before the second leg of the Botswana clash at Moruleng Stadium.

U20 international Masilakhe Phohlongo of Ajax Cape Town and Tshegofatso Mabaso of Bloemfontein Celtic are the new faces in the middle of the park. The strike force trio of Gift Motupa, Ryan Moon and Bonginkosi Ntuli has been recalled.

Bafana Bafana go into camp on Sunday, 6 August 2017. The return leg will be played in Zambia on the weekend of 18, 19, 20 August 2017. The overall winner will qualify for the CHAN tournament, which is set to take place in Kenya from 11 January to 2 February 2018. A total of 16 teams will qualify to play in the final tournament and national team players who are playing in their country’s own domestic league will be eligible to compete in the football showpiece.

BAFANA BAFANA SQUAD FOR CHAN NO. PLAYER’S NAME CLUB
GOALKEEPERS: 1. Boalefa PULE (Amazulu FC); 2. Steven HOFFMAN (Platinum Stars FC); 3. Bruce BVUMA (Kaizer Chiefs FC).

DEFENDERS: 4. Siyabonga NHLAPO (SuperSport United FC); 5. Siphiwe MNGUNI (Platinum Stars FC); 6. Sandile MTHETHWA (Orlando Pirates FC); 7. Mothobi MVALA (Highlands Park FC); 8. Mario BOOYSEN Mamelodi Sundowns FC 9. Tercious MALEPE (Orlando Pirates FC); 10. Denwin FARMER (Supersport United FC); 11. Ayabulela KONQOBE (Amazulu FC).

MIDFIELDERS: 12. Cole ALEXANDER (Supersport United FC); 13. Michael MORTON (Amazulu FC); 14. Riyaad NORODIEN (Orlando Pirates FC); 15. Jamie WEBBER (Stellenbosch FC); 16. Sphelele NTSHANGASE (Black Leopards FC); 17. Dumisani ZUMA (Kaizer Chiefs FC); 18. Teboho MOKOENA (Supersport United FC); 19. Sipho MBULE (SuperSport United FC); 20. Sibusiso KUMALO (Mamelodi Sundown FC); 21. Masilakhe PHOHLONGO (Ajax Cape Town FC); 22. Tshegofatso MABASO Bloemfontein (Celtic FC).

STRIKERS: 23. Bongani NTULI Mamelodi (Sundowns FC); 24. Ryan MOON (Kaizer Chiefs FC) 25. Gift MOTUPA (Baroka FC).

Photo Credit: safa.net