The Bafana Bafana head coach, Hugo Broos, has announced the Bafana Bafana preliminary squad for the AFCON qualifiers against Uganda and South Sudan in September.
Bafana Bafana will kick off their AFCON qualifying campaign at Orlando Stadium on September 6, 2024, against Uganda, before travelling to northeastern Africa to face South Sudan on September 10.
Bafana is grouped in Group K alongside Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan.
Broos’ side last lost a football game after 90 minutes in January 2024, when they were edged 2:0 by Mali in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations opener in Cote d’Ivoire. Since then, they have gone 13 games without losing after 90 minutes.
The Broos named three new faces to Bafana Bafana’s preliminary squad: Orlando Pirates’ Talente Mbatha, Kaizer Chiefs’ newly-recruited Rushwin Dortley, and Vitesse centre forward Simion Van Duivenbooden.
Earlier in June, the Netherlands-born striker Van Duivenbooden told the iDiski Times that despite being born outside of South Africa, he aspires to represent his father’s homeland and wear the yellow and green colours of Bafana Bafana.
“My dad was born in South Africa, and a lot of my family live here. I think South Africa is a very beautiful country and I always wanted to play for South Africa when I was younger. When I got the opportunity to get citizenship, I thought it was perfect,” he told the publication.
“I want to play for South Africa and I will work hard this season to get the attention of the national team coaches.”
Bafana Bafana preliminary squad.
Ronwen Williams (GK), Bruce Bvuma (GK), Ricardo Goss (GK), Veli Mothwa (GK), Sipho Chaine (GK), Sydney Mobbie, Thabiso Monyane, Thapelo Morena, Rushwin Dortley, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Aubrey Modiba, Given Msimango, Relebohile Mofokeng, Athenkosi Mcaba, Khuliso Mudau, Terrence Mashego, Fawaaz Basadien, Siyabonga Ngezana, Grant Kekana, Teboho Mokoena, Grant Margerman, Jayden Adams, Bathusi Aubaas, Sphelelo Sithole, Thalente Mbatha, Mihlali Mayambela, Luke le Roux, Themba Zwane, Devin Titus, Oswin Appolis, Patrick Maswanganyi, Simon van Duivenbooden, Iqraam Rayners, Thapelo Maseko, Elias Mokwana, Lyle Foster, Evidence Makgopa and Percy Tau.
