Players Broos should consider for his final Afcon squad

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos made it clear that the core of the  last squad he selected, which beat World Cup semifinalists Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier at FNB Stadium last month, was what he had wanted all along.

However, there are still a few players who stand a realistic chance to still get a nod for next year’s Afcon, should the status quo, as far as their form is concerned, not change and something happens to some of the current Broos’ trusted troops. We pick some of those players, who are, in a way, on standby.

Fagrie Lakay (Pyramids)

Lakay was one of Broos’ favourites in his early days at the helm of Bafana. Injuries and poor form saw the former Cape Town City man lose his berth in the team. Lakay has since found his groove back at his Egyptian side Pyramids, where he has scored 11 goals and racked up three assists from 38 games in all competitions in the 2022/23 season. The 26-year-old striker’s contributions have inspired Pyramids to qualify for the CAF Champions League for the first time in their brief history.

Khanyisa Mayo ( City)

The 24-year-old Mayo, who is the 2022/23 PSL season’s joint top-scorer, was preliminarily selected for the Morocco game before being omitted for the final squad. Broos has already used Mayo four times, having given him his Bafana debut when they beat Sierra Leone 4-0 last September. Should Mayo continue to bang in goals in the new season, he could really force his way back into the national side’s fold going into Afcon in Ivory Coast.

Kobamelo Kodisang (Moreirense)

Like Mayo, Kodisang had also been included in the provisional team but was left out in the end.  Broos has always maintained that Kodisang’s disadvantage was that he was playing in the second-tier in Portugal, where he scored 11 goals to help his Moreirense gain promotion. The 23-year-old utility winger recently signed a four-year deal with Moreirense ahead of the new season in the top-flight. It goes without saying that if Kodisang can maintain his rich vein of form even in the elite league, he’ll give Broos something to think about heading into Afcon.

Neo Maema (Mamelodi Sundowns)

Considered by many as one of the most technically-gifted players in the division, Maema, 27,  seems to be not Broos’ cup of tea. However, he can eventually convince the hard-to-please trainer that he’s Bafana material, should he stay consistent in the new season. Broos has positioned himself as someone who’s not scared to backtrack from previous decisions, having called up  Maema’s Sundowns teammate Themba Zwane after he had initially emphasised that he wanted nothing to do with him.