Bafana squad to face Mali in Mandela Challenge announced

Mali were named on Wednesday as Bafana Bafana’s opponents in the Nelson Mandela Challenge on October 13, as Molefi Ntseki also named his 23-man squad for the friendly international, to be played at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.

Ntseki made only a couple of changes to the Bafana squad that he called up last month for a friendly against Zambia, only for that game, and a subsequent match against Madagascar, to be cancelled because of the outbreaks of xenophobic violence in South Africa.

Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Themba Zwane, who was rested from the previous squad, returns for the Mali game, while his Masandawana teammates Lebo Maboe and Rivaldo Coetzee miss out.

Sundowns’ Mosa Lebusa, meanwhile, is added to the Bafana defence.

The game is set to be Bafana’s only friendly before the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers begin in November.

South Africa have only faced Mali twice before, losing to them 2-0 in the quarterfinals of the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations in Kayes, and going out at the same stage of the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil in 2013, Mali winning that game on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

Bafana squad to face Mali

Goalkeepers: Darren Keet (Leuven, Belgium), Ronwen Williams (SS Utd), Brandon Peterson (Wits)

Defenders: Eric Mathoho (Kaizer Chiefs), Buhle Mkhwanazi, Thulani Hlatshwayo (Wits), Thapelo Morena, Mosa Lebusa (Sundowns), Thamsanqa Mkhize (CT City), Innocent Maela (Orlando Pirates)

Midfielders: Kamohelo Mokotjo (Brentford), Thato Mokeke (CT City), Dean Furman (SS Utd), Lebogang Phiri (Guingamp), Bongani Zungu (Amiens), Themba Zwane (Sundowns), Thembinkosi Lorch (Pirates), Percy Tau (Club Brugge), Thulani Serero (Al Jazira, Abu Dhabi), Keagan Dolly (Montpellier)

Strikers: Lebo Mothiba (Strasbourg), Bradley Grobler (Supersport United), Kermit Erasmus (CT City)

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