Ntseki hunting for new Bafana super striker

Molefi Ntseki says he will focus on expanding the pool of players available to Bafana Bafana, especially in defensive midfield and attack, in the break between now and the next international date in March.

READ: Bafana ratings vs Sudan

Bafana managed to get a 1-0 win over Sudan on Sunday at Orlando Stadium, to get off the mark in Group C of 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, following their 2-0 loss to Ghana on Thursday, and will only play their next game in the group in August/September, when they play group minnows Sao Tome home and away, In between that, come 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers in March and June, against as yet unnamed opponents.

Bafana did waste a host of chances to beat Sudan by a far greater margin, and Ntseki said he would be going to England to speak to Preston North End’s Thomas Barkhuizen and his family. The 26 year-old forward, who has a South African grandfather, is having an excellent season in the Championship, with five goals and two assists in 14 league games thus far.

“Bradley Grobler has been scoring (for SuperSport) and we need to get someone to help Grobler, I think I will use these breaks to speak to Thomas Barkhuizen and his club and family, and see that, if we are happy with his profiling, we can get him a South African passport so he can come in,” said Ntseki, who is also still clearly a little concerned with the form of Strasbourg front man Lebo Mothiba.

Mothiba battled against Sudan, and is not having such a successful season in France’s Ligue 1 with Strasbourg, though he did score twice in their last league match. It was left to Lebo Phiri, playing out of position almost as a second striker, to grab Bafana’s winner at Orlando Stadium on Sunday.

“Lebo struggled but we made it difficult for him, he had no support when the ball was played to him,” added Ntseki.

Defensive midfield, meanwhile, might seem like a position that Bafana are spoiled for choice in, but Ntseki pointed to Dean Furman and Kamohelo Mokotjo as his only two real options there.

“They are our two obvious choices and we need to go and profile two players to come in. We know that in the Under-23s we have Teboho Mokoena and Sipho Mbule, but it is important to look. We are looking for natural defensive midfielders that we can profile in the local league. PSL teams are struggling in that position.”

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