Rayners called to Bafana squad

In-form Stellenbosch forward Iqraam Rayners has been called to the Bafana Bafana squad after knocking on the door for several months.

This week, Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has named a 34-member preliminary squad for the mouthwatering  2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against FIFA World Cup semi-finalists Morocco next month.

Broos’ charges face the Moroccans at FNB Stadium, in Johannesburg, on Saturday (17 June 2023) with both teams having already qualified for the continental tournament to be held in Côte d’Ivoire on 13 January – 11 February 2024.

Rayners has scored 9 goals in the Premiership

The preliminary squad will be trimmed to 23 players early next month when Broos announces his final list for the eagerly anticipated match between the two sides.

ALSO READ: Rayners knocking on Bafana’s door

Broos also announced that a reduced pre-camp will be held from 31 May 2023 to 7 June.

Rayners has picked up his second DStv Premiership Player of the Month award after helping his side avoid the relegation battle and enter the top eight.

Rayners previosuly played for the SA U/23 side but is yet to feature for the senior team. His form this season could see him named in Bafana Bafana’s future matches.

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The 27-year-old remains the only outfield player to win a monthly individual award this season after he was rewarded with the player of the month for April.

Rayners has been in a rich vein of scoring form since his recent return to the Cape Winelands, winning the award for the second month in succession.

🇿🇦 Some new face & returnees in the Bafana squad:

✅ Kobamelo Kodisang
✅ Given Msimango
✅ Iqraam Rayners
✅ Njabulo Blom pic.twitter.com/Y4po6EQlY3

— iDiski Times (@iDiskiTimes) May 23, 2023

In the three matches he featured for Stellies in April, Rayners notched up a brace each in victories over Swallows FC and Golden Arrows. He scored four goals which helped the coastal outfit to continue their climb up the log in a bid to secure a top 8 spot, proving once again why he has become such a key player in his team.

The former Santos man scored nine league goals which helped Stellies finish 6th in the DStv Premiership.

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