A youthful Bafana Bafana squad heads to the second round of the CHAN qualifiers this week, with a lot of uncertainty around the availability of the Premier Soccer League players that have been selected by coach Helman Mkhalele.
iDiski Times has learnt that Mkhalele, who was in charge of the team when they beat Comoros 1-0 on aggregate in the previous round, will continue on the sidelines when they go to Luanda on 28 August for the first-leg of the second-round, with the second-leg scheduled for 4 September.
The final CHAN tournament will take place in Algeria in January 2023 and Bafana Bafana last qualified for this tournament in 2011, when Simon Ngomane led a group of players, made up of amateur players from the national second division, to Sudan.
CHAN, a tournament only contested by players representing their country and currently playing in their domestic leagues, had been tricky for the South African Football Association (SAFA), because it is played outside the FIFA calendar.
In selecting his squad for these two matches, Mkhalele has taken the route of selecting some fringe players, especially at Mamelodi Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates; players like Sfiso Ngobeni, Sammy Seabi (he has since been loaned to Sekhukhune United), Gift Motupa, Happy Mashiane, Kamohelo Mahlatsi and Keletso Sifama. At Pirates, the list includes the lanky defender Sandile Mthethwa, who was previously on loan to Chippa United, Monnapule Saleng and Siphesihle Ndlovu.
In a strategic move that is aimed at making this team stronger, Mkhalele was accompanied by SAFA President Danny Jordaan to a meeting with TS Galaxy President Tim Sukazi. And it is believed that this meeting centred around the selection of five players from the Rockets and making them available for these two matches. The list includes emerging goalkeeper Melusi Buthelezi, defenders Kamogelo Mahlangu and Given Msimango, both former South African U23 internationals, midfielder Bathusi Aubaas and teenage sensation Aphelele Teto.
Galaxy have started the season brightly in 2022/2023, as they are the only unbeaten side after five matches, and are also yet to concede.
Besides these targeted players, the squad is also likely to include some players from the Motsepe Foundation Championship, which also kicks off its matches on 4 September.
It is still not clear if all these players would be available for these games, or at least for the first-leg, but another advantage this coming weekend is that there is the MTN8, meaning that there are eight top division teams that would not be in action.
SAFA are yet to officially announce the full squad for the upcoming CHAN qualifiers.
*This article by Velile Mnyandu first appeared in the latest edition of the iDiski Times newspaper, which is currently available in Shoprite stores in Gauteng.
