8 May 2015 – Bafana Bafana head coach Ephraim Shakes Mashaba has named a 22-man squad for the COSAFA CUP tournament.
The event runs from 17 – 30 May.
South Africa will face Botswana in the quarter-final of the competition on Sunday, 24 May at Moruleng Stadium in the North West Province.
Kick-off is at 17h30.
Fourteen of the players ply their trade in the Premier Soccer League, while the rest are from the National First Division, the ABC Motsepe League and academies.
The event runs from 17 – 30 May.
South Africa will face Botswana in the quarter-final of the competition on Sunday, 24 May at Moruleng Stadium in the North West Province.
Kick-off is at 17h30.
Fourteen of the players ply their trade in the Premier Soccer League, while the rest are from the National First Division, the ABC Motsepe League and academies.
There are no overseas-based players in the squad.
“This was perhaps one of the most difficult squads to announce due to a number of reasons. The end of the domestic league programme always poses a challenge for the national team as it is not easily clear which players will be available. And when you look down the NFD and ABC Motsepe Leagues, you find some of the players you have earmarked for a tournament of this nature are involved in play-offs,” said Mashaba adding the squad selected will compete.
“We will have three warm-up matches before the start of the tournament as there are many new players in the set-up and that exercise will help a great deal. The good thing about this squad is that we are increasing our base of national team players because the bigger the base, the more the fight for places in the squad, which makes for a strong Bafana Bafana. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the clubs who have released their players for national team duty.”
Bafana Bafana go into camp on Sunday, 10 May in Johannesburg, and will have training sessions on Monday and Tuesday.
The next day (Wednesday, 13 May) the teams travels to Lesotho to play two training matches against the host nation on Thursday, 14 May and Saturday, 16 May.
They have also scheduled another training match against neighbours Malawi which will be played on Friday, 22 May in Rustenburg at a venue to be confirmed.
“This was perhaps one of the most difficult squads to announce due to a number of reasons. The end of the domestic league programme always poses a challenge for the national team as it is not easily clear which players will be available. And when you look down the NFD and ABC Motsepe Leagues, you find some of the players you have earmarked for a tournament of this nature are involved in play-offs,” said Mashaba adding the squad selected will compete.
“We will have three warm-up matches before the start of the tournament as there are many new players in the set-up and that exercise will help a great deal. The good thing about this squad is that we are increasing our base of national team players because the bigger the base, the more the fight for places in the squad, which makes for a strong Bafana Bafana. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the clubs who have released their players for national team duty.”
Bafana Bafana go into camp on Sunday, 10 May in Johannesburg, and will have training sessions on Monday and Tuesday.
The next day (Wednesday, 13 May) the teams travels to Lesotho to play two training matches against the host nation on Thursday, 14 May and Saturday, 16 May.
They have also scheduled another training match against neighbours Malawi which will be played on Friday, 22 May in Rustenburg at a venue to be confirmed.
Meanwhile Botswana coach Peter Butler has named his squad that will be play in the COSAFA CUP tournament.
Some of those included ply their trade in South Afica like Joel Mogorosi and Mogogi Gabonamong (both
Bloemfontein Celtic), goalkeeper Kabelo Dambe and playmaker Mogakolodi Ngele (Platinum Stars).
Botswana finished third in the tournament in 2006 and 2007.
Full Botswana squad:
Goalkeepers:
Modiri Marumo, Kabelo Dambe
Defenders:
Obuile Oscar Ncenga, Oteng Richard Legwaila, Katlego Koobake, Mosha Gaolaolwe, Obonye Moswate
Tapiwa Gadibolae, Kaone Van Der Westhuizen
Midfielders:
Lemponye Tshireletso, Kabelo Seakanyeng, Segolame Boy, Joel Mogorosi, Mogogi Gabonamong,
Ofentse Nato, Mogakolodi Ngele, Mpho Kgaswane, Lebogang Ditsele
Strikers:
Omaatla Kebatho, Onkabetse Makgantai
Some of those included ply their trade in South Afica like Joel Mogorosi and Mogogi Gabonamong (both
Bloemfontein Celtic), goalkeeper Kabelo Dambe and playmaker Mogakolodi Ngele (Platinum Stars).
Botswana finished third in the tournament in 2006 and 2007.
Full Botswana squad:
Goalkeepers:
Modiri Marumo, Kabelo Dambe
Defenders:
Obuile Oscar Ncenga, Oteng Richard Legwaila, Katlego Koobake, Mosha Gaolaolwe, Obonye Moswate
Tapiwa Gadibolae, Kaone Van Der Westhuizen
Midfielders:
Lemponye Tshireletso, Kabelo Seakanyeng, Segolame Boy, Joel Mogorosi, Mogogi Gabonamong,
Ofentse Nato, Mogakolodi Ngele, Mpho Kgaswane, Lebogang Ditsele
Strikers:
Omaatla Kebatho, Onkabetse Makgantai
By: Editor
RSS Feed