Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has announced a squad of 23 players who will represent the country in crucial back-to-back 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Liberia this month.
Broos said these are the players he is sending out to fly the country’s flag high and he appealed to supporters to fill up Orlando Stadium when his charges host the Liberians in the first match between the two sides on Friday, 24 March 2023 (kick off 18h00).
“Everybody knows the importance of these games and supporters can lift you to a higher level (if the stadium is full),” the Bafana Bafana coach said after announcing his squad.
“This is what we need on the day. Let us hope that South Africans come and support us at the stadium (in great numbers).”
Broos’ charges welcome the Liberians to Orlando Stadium on Friday, 24 March and then travel by charter flight to the Liberian capital Monrovia to tackle the West Africans on 28 March 2023.
Bafana Bafana will go into the two games on the back of an unbeaten run that began last year. The run began in September when Broos’ charges beat Sierra Leone and Botswana in two friendlies played at FNB Stadium.
They continued their winning ways when they came back from a goal down to beat Mozambique 2-1 through a well-taken second half brace from Bongokuhle Hlongwane in a friendly international played at the Mbombela Stadium on 17 November 2022.
They were then held to a 1-1 draw by Angola during a friendly international also played at Mbombela Stadium on Sunday, 20 November 2022, but the result enabled the side to extend their unbeaten run to four matches in a row.
The South African senior men’s national team will go into camp in Johannesburg on Sunday 19 March 2023.
Bafana squad
Goalkeepers:
Ronwen Williams. Veli Mothwa, Ricardo Goss
Defenders: Nyiko Mobbie, Innocent Maela, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Thapelo Morena, Aubrey Modiba, Grant Kekana, Mothobi Mvala, Siyanda Xulu
Midfielders: Luke le Roux, Njabulo Blom, Sphephelo Sithole, Teboho Mokoena, Themba Zwane, Monnapule Saleng
Forwards: Thapelo Maseko, Zakhele Lepasa, Cassius Mailula, Mihlali Mayambela, Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Lyle Foster, Percy Tau