Baxter names a 20-man squad for Cosafa Cup
Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter on Tuesday named a 20-man squad to participate in the 2018 Cosafa Cup tournament.
Stuart Baxter coach of South Africa (Photo by Anesh Debiky/Gallo Images)
Only two overseas-based players have been called up – midfielder Gift Links (Alassiouty Sport – Egypt) and striker Luther Singh (SC Braga – Portugal).
Khulekani Kubheka, Wiseman Meyiwa and Lyle Foster, who were all in the Amajita squad that defeated Mozambique this past weekend, have also been included.
Siphesihle Ndlovu of Maritzburg United may have missed out on the Nedbank Cup winner’s medal after losing to Free State Stars in the final but his performance this season has been rewarded with a call-up.
This comes at the back of the four nominations he received for the PSL Awards – Midfielder of the Year, Young Player of the Year, Player’s Player of the Year and Footballer of the Year.
The other PSL Awards nominees included in the Senior Men’s National Team are Innocent Maela and Siyanda Xulu (Defender of the Year) – with the latter making a return to the Bafana Bafana squad after a long absence.
Kaizer Chiefs and Maritzburg United have the most players in the squad – four each. Amakhosi have Bruce Bvuma, Siyabonga Ngezana, Meyiwa and Ryan Moon, while Ndlovu, Xulu, Lebo Maboe and Fortune Makaringe are all from United.
South Africa received a bye in the first round and will only join the COSAFA Cup action in the quarterfinal stage when they face the Winner of Group A on Sunday, 3 June 2018.
Madagascar, Mozambique, Comoros and Seychelles are in Group A, while Botswana, Angola, Mauritius and Malawi make up Group B.
The matches will be played at three venues – Old Peter Mokaba Stadium and Seshego Stadium.
The final takes place on Sunday, 9 June at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium.
Bafana Bafana squad:
Goalkeepers: Bruce Bvuma (Kaizer Chiefs), Reyaad Pieterse (SuperSport United), Khulekani Kubheka (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Defenders: Siyabonga Ngezana (Chiefs), Motjeka Madisha (Sundowns), Siyanda Xulu (Maritzburg United), Taariq Fielies (Cape Town City), Innocent Maela (Orlando Pirates)
Midfield: Wiseman Meyiwa (Chiefs), Siphesihle Ndlovu, Fortune Makaringe, Lebogang Maboe (Maritzburg), Aubrey Modiba, Craig Webber (SuperSport), Abednego Mosiatlhaga (Bidvest Wits), Neo Links (Sport Face, Egypt)
Strikers: Gift Motupa (Baroka FC), Lyle Brent Foster (Pirates), Ryan Moon (Chiefs), Luther Singh (SC Braga, Portugal)
