Bafana v Egypt – Three players to watch

Pitso Mosimane may give some other members of his 30-man Bafana Bafana squad a chance, when his side take on Egypt in an international friendly at the Cairo International Stadium on Saturday.

After all, friendlies mean little bar bragging rights and perhaps a slight bump in your Fifa ranking. In midfield, Mosimane is likely to have his hand forced too by injuries to Teboho Mokoena and Bathusi Aubaas

Here, Phakaaathi takes a look at three players who could well get a chance against the Pharaohs.

Brooklyn Poggenpoel

Durban City midfielder Poggenpoel made his debut for Bafana just 12 minutes into Wednesday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Eritrea. Mosimane was forced into the change after Aubaas limped off. But the 26-year-old Poggenpoel looked right at home as he sprayed passes around and generally impressed a alongside. Sphephelo Sithole. As the two ‘last midfielders standing’ it is likely that Sithole and Poggenpoel will take the field again on Saturday.

Puso Dithejane

Puso Dithejane’s stunning form with Chicago Fire this season earned him a call-up to the Bafana squad. It was not, however, enough to get the 22-year-old any game time against Guinea or Eritrea. Dithejane has fierce competition on the wing from the likes of Oswin Appollis, Thapelo Maseko and Luther Singh. But he may well get a chance to show what he can do against Egypt, even if it is only off the bench.

Sipho Chaine

Ronwen Williams was generally his usual excellent self against Guinea and Eritrea in AFCON qualifying. The Bafana captain, however, did have an early wobble against Eritrea, where he made two unforced errors inside five minutes. Mosimane needs to know that if the now 34-year-old Williams is injured or off-form, he has a reliable deputy. Chaine is 26 and has just four appearances for Bafana. Surely the Egypt game would be the perfect opportunity to give a player Mosimane has described as one of his “captains” a chance.