New Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has named a 31-man squad to play Zimbabwe and Ghana in the upcoming Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers next month.
South Africa are in Group G, together with neighbours Zimbabwe, Ghana and Ethiopia with the group winners progressing through to the final qualification for Qatar 2022.
Bafana kickoff their campaign with a tricky away clash against Zimbabwe’s Warriors at the National Sports Stadium on September 3 before taking on the Black Stars of Ghana at FNB Stadium three days later.
Broos has named a huge squad in a bid to further assess most of the players.
He will whittle down his squad to 23 players that he will travel with to Zimbabwe and for the home game against Ghana.
The 69-year-old Belgian tactician has not had enough time to see most of his players in action.
Broos, however, watched the high-profile MTN8 encounter pitting Sundowns against Chiefs last Sunday. Sundowns won the match 2-1 after a penalty shootout.
Broos called up seven Sundowns players and five from Amakhosi.
England-based forward Percy Tau, who plays for Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League, Mamelodi Sundowns’ Thapelo Morena and Orlando Pirates’ Innocent Maela are the more experienced campaigners.
The trio played a role in Broos’s predecessor Molefi Ntseki’s failed 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
The Bafana Bafana coach will name his final squad on August 24.
After the opening two rounds of matches, the next stage of the World Cup qualifiers are in October.
The final Group matches are in November.
Ten Group winners will face each other to decide which five African countries will represent Africa in Qatar 2022.
Bafana Bafana squad:
Goalkeepers: Ronwen Williams (Supersport United), Veli Mothwa (AmaZulu), Bruce Bvuma (Kaizer Chiefs), Sifiso Mlungwana (Golden Arrows)
Defenders: Sydney Mobbie (Mamelodi Sundowns), Rushine De Reuck (Mamelodi Sundowns), Thapelo Morena (Mamelodi Sundowns), Siyanda Xulu (Hapoel Tel Aviv, Israel),Thibang Phete (Belenenses FC, Portugal), Thabani Dube (Kaizer Chiefs), Njabulo Ngcobo (Kaizer Chiefs), Mosa Lebusa (Mamelodi Sundowns), Sibusiso Mabiliso (Kaizer Chiefs),Innocent Maela (Orlando Pirates)
Midfielders: Kobamelo Kodisang (FC Braga, Portugal),Sipho Mbule (Supersport United), Teboho Mokoena (Supersport United), Mothobi Mvala (Mamelodi Sundowns), Sphelele Mkhulise (Mamelodi Sundowns), Sphephelo Sithole (Belenenses FC, Portugal), Yusuf Maart (Sekhukhune FC), Ethan Brooks (TS Galaxy), Siyethemba Sithebe (Amazulu), Njabulo Blom (Kaizer Chiefs)
Strikers: Thabiso Kutumela (Mamelodi Sundowns), Bongokuhle Hlongwane (Maritzburg United), Gift Links (Aarhus GF, Denmark), Evidence Makgopa (Baroka FC), Victor Letsoalo (Bloemfontein Celtics), Percy Tau (Brighton & Hove Albion, England), Luther Singh (F.C Copenhagen, Denmark)
