Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter has recalled veteran Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Siphiwe Tshabalala when announcing his squad at Safa House in Nasrec on Thursday morning to face Senegal in two must-win World Cup qualifiers next month.
Sowetan
Baxter said that 33-year-old Tshabalala’s return was based on his outstanding form and clearly not seen as a long-term plan‚ but more as a need to call-up an in-form player who can bring quality to his squad for two games South Africa have to win.
Bafana must win both their matches against Senegal – on Friday‚ November 10 in Polokwane and Tuesday‚ November 14 in Dakar – to qualify for Russia 2018.
Captain Thulani Hlatshwayo‚ injured for the Burkina Faso game‚ has been recalled.
Senegal named their 25-man squad last week‚ with coach Aliou Cisse including star Liverpool forward Sadio Mane‚ even though the winger is due to be injured for two weeks past the clashes against Bafana.
Senegal lead Group D on eight points. Bafana would leapfrog the Lions of Teranga from bottom place on three points to nine
The squad arrive in camp on Sunday‚ November 5 in Johannesburg and travel to Polokwane the following day.
They travel to Dakar on Saturday‚ departing at 3.35pm from OR Tambo International Airport.
SQUAD:
Goalkeeper: Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs)‚ Wayne Sandilands (Orlando Pirates)‚ Ronwen Williams (SuperSport United)
Defenders: Morgan Gould (SuperSport United)‚ Tebogo Langerman (Mamelodi Sundowns)‚ Clayton Daniels (SuperSport United)‚ Sifiso Hlanti (Bidvest Wits)‚ Thamsanqa Mkhize (Cape Town City)‚ Motjeka Madisha (Mamelodi Sundowns)‚ Thulani Hlatshwayo (capt.‚ Bidvest Wits)‚ Tebogo Langerman (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Midfield: Andile Jali (Oostende‚ Belgium)‚ Thulani Serero (Vitesse Arnhem‚ Netherlands)‚ Sibusiso Vilakazi (Mamelodi Sundowns)‚ Hlompho Kekana (Mamelodi Sundowns)‚ Bongani Zungu (Amiens‚ France)‚ Keagan Dolly (Montpellier‚ France)‚ Themba Zwane (Mamelodi Sundowns)‚ Kamohelo Mokotjo (Brentford‚ England)‚ Lebogang Manyama (Konyaspor‚ Turkey)‚ Phakamani Mahlambi (Al Ahly‚ Egypt)‚ Siphiwe Tshabalala (Kaizer Chiefs)‚ Dean Furman (SuperSport United)
Strikers: Bradley Grobler (SuperSport United)‚ Percy Tau (Mamelodi Sundowns)‚ Dino Ndlovu (Qarabag‚ Azerbaijan)
by Marc Strydom – TimesLIVE
