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Molefi Ntseki names Thibang Phete and Kurt Abrahams in adventurous Bafana squad

Molefi Ntseki (coach) of Bafana Bafana during the Bafana Bafana Squad Announcement at SAFA House on October 02, 2020 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Molefi Ntseki (coach) of Bafana Bafana during the Bafana Bafana Squad Announcement at SAFA House on October 02, 2020 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Image: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images

Bafana Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki named an adventurous squad‚ bringing in some untested unknowns and testing some fringe players who have perhaps long deserved a chance‚ for his squad to play two friendlies month.

Thibang Phete‚ the 26-year-old defender who turns out for Belenenses SAD in Portugal's Preimeira Liga and 23-year-old Belgian-based forward Kurt Abrahams of KVC Westerlo were the notable and lesser-known inclusions‚ as Ntseki aims to utilise the friendlies to cast his net wide and run the rule over players.

Bafana meet Namibia on Thursday (October 8) and Zambia on Sunday‚ October 11‚ both at Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg. The friendlies form part of Ntseki’s preparations for the crucial 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sao Tome and Principe next month.

Other notable fringe players drafted - some of whom showed interesting signs of form as the Absa Premiership was concluded in a bio-bubble - include in-form Mamelodi Sundowns and ex-Bidvest Wits goalkeeper Ricardo Goss‚ and defender and Sundowns team-mate Motjeka Madisha.

Abbubaker Mobara and Thabo Nodada of Cape Town City‚ another Sundowns signing in Mothobi Mvala‚ Maritzburg United forward Thabiso Kutumela‚ SuperSport United midfielder Sipho Mbule and striker Luther Singh of SC Braga in Portugal are other intriguing call-ups for Ntseki to run the rule over.

Motpellier winger Keagan Dolly gets a national call again after two years dogged by injury.

Bafana squad -

Goalkeepers:

  • Darren Keet (OH Leuven‚ Belgium)
  • Ronwen Williams (SuperSport United)
  • Ricardo Goss (Bidvest Wits)

Defenders:

  • Thibang Phete (Belenenses SAD‚ Portugal)
  • Motjeka Madisha (Mamelodi Sundowns)
  • Thulani Hlatshwayo (Orlando Pirates)
  • Sifiso Hlanti (Unattached)
  • Mosa Lebusa (Mamelodi Sundowns)
  • Innocent Maela (Orlando Pirates)
  • Abbubaker Mobara (Cape Town City)
  • Reeve Frosler (Kaizer Chiefs)

Midfielders:

  • Andile Jali (Mamelodi Sundowns)
  • Mothobi Mvala (Mamelodi Sundowns)
  • Themba Zwane (Mamelodi Sundowns)
  • Thabo Nodada (Cape Town City)
  • Teboho Mokoena (SuperSport United)
  • Gladwin Shitolo (Orlando Pirates)
  • Keagan Dolly (Montpellier HSC‚ France)
  • Percy Tau (RSC Anderlecht‚ Belgium)
  • Thabiso Kutumela (Maritzburg United)
  • Sipho Mbule (SuperSport United)

Strikers:

  • Luther Singh (SC Braga‚ Portugal)
  • Kermit Erasmus (Cape Town City)
  • Lebogang Manyama (Kaizer Chiefs)
  • Kurt Abrahams (KVC Westerlo‚ Belgium)