Bafana Bafana's next two World Cup qualifiers against Senegal next month are a mountain to climb, but coach Stuart Baxter insists that it's not mission impossible.

SA will have to beat the Lions of Teranga at home and away to make it to next year's World Cup in Russia. The two meet at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on November 10 with the return leg four days later in Dakar.

Senegal are top of Group D with eight points, while SA are bottom with four. This is arguably one of SA's biggest tests since readmission to international football in 1992.

Baxter, however, was adamant yesterday when he named his 26-man squad that his charges won't be lambs to the slaughter against the west Africans. The 62-year-old used SA's recent 2-0 win against Nigeria as well as their 3-1 triumph over Burkina Faso as indicators that Bafana are up for the challenge.

"Can we beat Senegal? Absolutely. If we can go to Nigeria and beat them, if we can beat Burkina Faso, who played two very tight games against Senegal, then we can beat them [Senegal]," Baxter insisted.

Baxter called up 12 midfielders and only three strikers, which shows that he's planning to win it from midfield.

This would be similar to the approach he used in the win against Burkina Faso.

Senegal have called up Liverpool forward Sadio Mane, but Baxter said Bafana are not intimidated.

"I don't want to lose five seconds reflecting on him [Mane]. If he's there, he's got a head, two arms and two legs just like everybody else.

"We will have a game of football against him," added the Bafana coach.

Bafana squad

Goalkeepers: Khune, Sandilands, Williams

Defenders: Mkhize, Daniels, Mathoho, Madisha, Gould, Hlatshwayo, Langerman, Hlanti

Midfielders: Kekana, Furman, Dolly, Jali, Mokotjo, Vilakazi, Zwane, Zungu, Serero, Mahlambi, Manyama, Tshabalala.

Strikers: Tau, Grobler, Ndlovu.