Bafana Bafana squad : Top FIVE snubs by Hugo Broos!
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has announced his first national team squad on Thursday, ahead of the back to back 2024 AFCON Qualifiers against Liberia.
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has announced his first national team squad on Thursday, ahead of the back to back 2024 AFCON Qualifiers against Liberia.
Bafana Bafana are in Group K, with the only other side in their group besides Liberia, being leaders and World Cup semi-finalists Morocco.
Bafana lost to Morocco in opener
Broos’ men succumbed to a narrow 2-1 loss to Morocco in their first game of the campaign, away from home. Judging from the strengths and exploits of the Atlas Lions, that result is looking more and more credible for Bafana Bafana. However, they will now know that there can be very little room for era going forward, and will undoubtedly be targeting a double over Liberia.
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Group K features only three teams because Zimbabwe found themselves disqualified by FIFA due to political interference. That has then made the task much easier for either Bafana Bafana or Liberia depending on who will capitalise from this double header.
Final squad named
Last week, Broos named a formidable looking 35-man preliminary squad, with 11 of those players being axed yesterday. We now take a look at the top five biggest snubs from the list.
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Firstly, here is the final 24-man Bafana Bafana squad
Goalkeeper:
Ronwen Williams, Veli Mothwa and Ricardo Goss
Defenders:
Sydney Mobbie, Grant Kekana, Aubrey Modiba, Thapelo Morena, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Siyanda Xulu, Mothobi Mvala, Thapelo Maseko and Innocent Maela
Midfielders: Siphephelo Sithole, Luke le Roux, Teboho Mokoena and Njabulo Blom.
Forwards: Themba Zwane, Percy Tau, Cassius Mailula, Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Mihlali Mayambela, Zakhele Lepasa, Monnapule Saleng and Lyle Forster.
Top five players snubbed
Now that we know the players that made the cut, let’s take a look at the top five players who will feel aggrieved to miss out.
5. Brandon Petersen
The Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper has made the number one jersey his own at Amakhosi in recent weeks, and he would’ve been hoping that would be to his advantage. Playing for Chiefs usually means playing under intensive pressure and big crowds week in, week out. It also includes playing in big matches, like the Soweto Derby, which Petersen kept a clean sheet in, during a 1-0 win for the Glamour Boys. However, it was always going to be touch and go between him and Goss and perhaps over the course of the season, the SuperSport United keeper has had the more consistent game time, which might of tipped the scales in his favour.
4. Miguel Timm
The Orlando Pirates midfielder was one of the better new faces in the previous round of international matches for Bafana Bafana. However, the emergence of a younger overseas option in former Chiefs midfielder Blom seems to have been too big of a temptation for Broos to ignore. Timm will feel hard done by as his form for the Buccaneers has not really dropped since. With time not on his side age-wise, he will be hoping he hasn’t already seen the last of his days in the national team jersey.
3. Kobamelo Kodisang
The former SA U23 star has been in scintillating form on loan to Moreirense in the Portuguese second tier, from topflight side Braga SC. Kodisang has netted 10 goals from the wing, also notching up 10 Man of the Match awards in the process. That form, however, was good enough to get Broos to look at him once more, but ultimately the veteran Belgian mentor decided there was no room for the 23-year-old in a congested and very talented front line.
2. Fagrie Lakay
Lakay, who remains the youngest ever Bafana Bafana debutant, has found himself omitted from the latest national team squad. A player who had emerged as a favourite under Broos in recent call ups, was amongst the biggest snubs for the current squad. The speedy forward currently plies his trade in the Egyptian Premier League for FC Pyramids, but his efforts in North Africa were not deemed to be good enough to surpass the likes of Lepasa.
- Khuliso Mudau
Coming off a stellar performance against Al Ahly in the CAF Champions League 5-2 win, Mudau would’ve most probably thought he had sealed his place in Broos’ side. Instead, he has turned out to be arguably the biggest snub since. The national team mentor simply explained that ‘there were better options’ when omitting arguably the most inform right back in the country, with Mobbie, again selected ahead of the Mamelodi Sundowns star.
