Bafana Bafana will be tested tonight but only if coach Shakes Mashaba plays most – if not all – of his cards against a rejuvenated Cameroon side at the Stade de L’amitie in Libreville, Gabon.
South Africa played their first preparation friendly ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea last weekend, beating Zambian 1-0 with a late goal from substitute Thuso Phala at Orlando Stadium. Mashaba was critical of his men’s efforts and demanded more when they face the Indomitable Lions and yet another Afcon-bound national team a few days later.
Following their arrival in Gabon on Wednesday, captain Dean Furman said the quicker they adapted to their new surroundings over the next three weeks, the more confident they will be in pulling up their socks to please Mashaba and ready themselves to face Algeria, Senegal and Ghana in Group C of the Afcon.
“We have a good 10 days or so to prepare and we are excited about the upcoming tournament. It’s important that we are here now and settled in our hotel and getting used to the conditions and the surroundings. The quicker we can acclimatise the better it will be for us in the tournament,” the midfielder said.
Furman is not taking the Cameroon friendly lightly.
The Indomitable Lions, like Bafana, finished their Afcon qualification campaign last year unbeaten and won four of their six matches.
They were pitted against powerhouses Ivory Coast, who were runners-up, the Democratic Republic of Congo, who made an entry into this month’s tournament as the best third-placed team, and Sierra Leone.
“It is great to play a couple of preparatory matches before we start the tournament to allow the coach to try some tactical stuff and also try different players,” Furman said.
On facing Cameroon, Furman said: “Cameroon is one of the top teams on the continent, they are strong and they will pose a difficult threat. I am certain they will be confident going forward in the tournament so it’s a great test for us and certainly a great way to prepare.”
Bafana’s 2015 Afcon squad:
Goalkeepers: Darren Keet (KV Kortrijk, Belgium), Jackson Mabokgwane (Mpumalanga Black Aces), Brilliant Khuzwhayo (Kaizer Chiefs).
Defenders: Siyabonga Nhlapo (Bidvest Wits), Patrick Phungwayo (Orlando Pirates), Anele Ngcongca (Racing Genk, Belgium), Thulani Hlatshwayo (Bidvest Wits), Erick Mathoho (Kaizer Chiefs), Rivaldo Coetzee (Ajax Cape Town), Thabo Matlaba (Orlando Pirates).
Midfielders: Themba Zwane (Sundowns), Andile Jali (KV Oostende, Belgium), Reneilwe Letsholonyane (Kaizer Chiefs), Bongani Zungu (Sundowns), Thamsanqa Sangweni (Chippa United), Dean Furman (Doncaster Rovers), Thuso Phala (SuperSport United), Mandla Masango (Kaizer Chiefs), Oupa Manyisa (Pirates).
Strikers: Bernard Parker (Kaizer Chiefs), Tokelo Rantie (Bournemouth, England), Bongani Ndulula (AmaZulu), Si busiso Vilakazi (Wits).
Bafana up for a fight
South Africa played their first preparation friendly ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea last weekend, beating Zambian 1-0 with a late goal from substitute Thuso Phala at Orlando Stadium. Mashaba was critical of his men’s efforts and demanded more when they face the Indomitable Lions and yet another Afcon-bound national team a few days later.
Following their arrival in Gabon on Wednesday, captain Dean Furman said the quicker they adapted to their new surroundings over the next three weeks, the more confident they will be in pulling up their socks to please Mashaba and ready themselves to face Algeria, Senegal and Ghana in Group C of the Afcon.
“We have a good 10 days or so to prepare and we are excited about the upcoming tournament. It’s important that we are here now and settled in our hotel and getting used to the conditions and the surroundings. The quicker we can acclimatise the better it will be for us in the tournament,” the midfielder said.
Furman is not taking the Cameroon friendly lightly.
The Indomitable Lions, like Bafana, finished their Afcon qualification campaign last year unbeaten and won four of their six matches.
They were pitted against powerhouses Ivory Coast, who were runners-up, the Democratic Republic of Congo, who made an entry into this month’s tournament as the best third-placed team, and Sierra Leone.
“It is great to play a couple of preparatory matches before we start the tournament to allow the coach to try some tactical stuff and also try different players,” Furman said.
On facing Cameroon, Furman said: “Cameroon is one of the top teams on the continent, they are strong and they will pose a difficult threat. I am certain they will be confident going forward in the tournament so it’s a great test for us and certainly a great way to prepare.”
Bafana’s 2015 Afcon squad:
Goalkeepers: Darren Keet (KV Kortrijk, Belgium), Jackson Mabokgwane (Mpumalanga Black Aces), Brilliant Khuzwhayo (Kaizer Chiefs).
Defenders: Siyabonga Nhlapo (Bidvest Wits), Patrick Phungwayo (Orlando Pirates), Anele Ngcongca (Racing Genk, Belgium), Thulani Hlatshwayo (Bidvest Wits), Erick Mathoho (Kaizer Chiefs), Rivaldo Coetzee (Ajax Cape Town), Thabo Matlaba (Orlando Pirates).
Midfielders: Themba Zwane (Sundowns), Andile Jali (KV Oostende, Belgium), Reneilwe Letsholonyane (Kaizer Chiefs), Bongani Zungu (Sundowns), Thamsanqa Sangweni (Chippa United), Dean Furman (Doncaster Rovers), Thuso Phala (SuperSport United), Mandla Masango (Kaizer Chiefs), Oupa Manyisa (Pirates).
Strikers: Bernard Parker (Kaizer Chiefs), Tokelo Rantie (Bournemouth, England), Bongani Ndulula (AmaZulu), Si busiso Vilakazi (Wits).
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