Bafana Bafana will host Ghana at Dobsonville Stadium on Tuesday of their remaining pleasant earlier than flying to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco (December 21 – January 18).
South Africa head coach Hugo Broos might be with out a number of European-based gamers, who’re set to fly to Morocco to affix the crew with out touching down in South Africa first.
Lyle Foster, Shandre Campbell and Sphephelo Sithole are prone to be unavailable, with FIFA having modified the date gamers had been as a consequence of be launched for AFCON responsibility from Dec. 8 to Dec. 15.
The beginning lineup is prone to have a powerful Mamelodi Sundowns contingent, with Orlando Pirates gamers’ health managed fastidiously following their 1-0 Carling Knockout win over Marumo Gallants on Dec. 6. Nonetheless, Pirates are so well-represented within the squad that it’s doubtless that they, too, may have a number of faces within the beginning XI.
Broos has been coping with backlash over his public dressing down of Mbekezeli Mbokazi. Whereas he’s additionally nonetheless fielding questions on the exclusion of Wydad Casablanca’s Thembinkosi Lorch from his squad, that is a matter he has grown all too accustomed to and caught to his weapons on all through.
Nonetheless, Broos would absolutely take his place – making ready for an AFCON match with a squad made up predominantly of locally-based gamers who’re at his camp in Pretoria – over the predicaments of lots of his rivals with principally European-based squads.
“It is a little bit drawback; it isn’t an enormous drawback, and I am blissful to be the coach of a rustic the place nearly all of the gamers are native gamers – as a result of if in any other case, you possibly can’t begin the camp; it’s important to begin it subsequent week. So I do not suppose that my colleagues within the different international locations might be so blissful for the second,” Broos instructed the media.
Worse nonetheless is the state of affairs confronted by Ghana, who won’t be collaborating within the AFCON. At the very least the Black Stars made up for it by qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Nonetheless, with key gamers unavailable, the aspect that walks out in Dobsonville is unlikely to bear a lot resemblance to the lineup representing them in June.
Key particulars
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 16:00 CAT (14:00 GMT)
Venue: Dobsonville Stadium, Soweto, Johannesburg
Find out how to watch: The match might be televised dwell on SABC 2 and obtainable for streaming on SABC Plus
Workforce information
Ghana might be coached by Kassim Mingle relatively than standard head coach Otto Addo for this fixture and have named a squad of solely uncapped gamers.
Bafana Bafana might not have their full contingent obtainable. Nonetheless, they head into this sport as vital favourites as a result of excessive degree of the Betway Premiership and some overseas-based gamers who’re prone to be able to characteristic.
One key matter of debate is who will fill the no.10 position behind the striker. Broos has utilised Sipho Mbule on this position, however it isn’t the place he has performed in for many of his skilled profession. His Orlando Pirates teammate, Relebohile Mofokeng, is again in kind after a interval on the sidelines after an damage picked up in August’s MTN8 semi-final towards Mamelodi Sundowns.
With Sundowns’ Themba Zwane unavailable as a consequence of damage, there had been stress on Broos to pick Thembinkosi Lorch. Nonetheless, Broos has tended to favour youthful gamers all through his tenure and whereas an exception was finally made for Zwane after some hesitation at first of his stint in cost, Lorch has not been as lucky.
Anticipated lineups
South Africa
LB Aubrey Modiba | CB Mbekezeli Mbokazi | CB Tylon Smith | RB Khuliso Mudau
CM Bathusi Aubaas | CM Teboho Mokoena
LW Oswin Appollis | AM Relebohile Mofokeng | RW Mohau Nkota
Ghana
GK Felix Kyei
LB Isaac Afful | CB Ebenezer Abban | CB Razak Simpson | RB Kamaradini Mamudu
CM Salim Adams | CM Nana Kusi Asante | CM Etse Dogli
LW Emmanuel Abban | ST Samuel Attah Kumi | RW Kelvin Nkrumah
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