Stand-in coach of the Bafana Bafana CHAN squad Thabo Senong has named the starting eleven to take on Angola in a 2016 Rwanda CHAN qualifier on Saturday.
Stand-in coach of the Bafana Bafana CHAN squad Thabo Senong has named the starting eleven to take on Angola in a 2016 Rwanda CHAN qualifier on Saturday, 17 October 2015 at the Rand Stadium in Johannesburg.
Kickoff is at 15h00.
There are seven debutants in the starting lineup – Levy Mokgothu, Thabo September, Mlungisi Mbunjana, Thabo Qalinqe, Amigo Memela, Michael Morton and Roggert Nyundu.
Striker Bongani Ndulula is the most experienced player in the first eleven with nine caps, followed by goalkeeper Wayne Sandilands with six appearances.
Sandilands last played for Bafana Bafana in the 2-1 victory over Lesotho in 2013 in the COSAFA CUP tournamnt held in Zambia in 2013. He was captain in that match.
Captain of the day Wandisile Letlabika takes the rightback position, with Mokgothu at left back while Siyanda Zwane and September will man the central defence.
Letlabika is the only survivor from the squad that defeated Mauritius in the last round of this competition – he also scored in the second leg. He has two caps to his name while Zwane only has one that he got in the 1-0 nil victory Tanzania in an international friendly match in Dar es Salaam in 2011.
The entire midfield is complete new – Qalinge, Mbunjana, Memela and Morton, while Ndulula and Nyundu will spearhead the attack.
Mbunjana (Cape Town All Stars) and Nyundu (Black Leopards) play their football in the National First Division (NFD).
The bench is also made up mainly of debutants – goalkeeper Nkosingiphile Gumede, defenders Tebogo Moerane and Mario Booysen, midfielders Percy Tau and Lyle Lakay while striker Bradley Grobler has represented his country twice and midfielder Pule Ekstein only once.
Gift Motupa has been released from the squad after he failed to recover from a knee injury.
South Africa 11 vs Angola 1st Leg: Wayne Sandilands (GK), Wandisile Letlabika (C), Siyanda Zwane, Levy Mokgothu, Thabo September, Mlungisi Mbunjana, Thabo Qalinge, Amigo Luvuyo Memela, Michael Morton, Bongani Ndulula, Roggert Nyundu
Subs: Nkosingiphile Gumede, Tebogo Moerane, Mario Booysen, Percy Tau, Lyle Lakay, Bradley Grobler, Pule Ekstein
Not in matchday squad: Dumisani Msibi, Madisha Motjeka, Rofhiwa Tshikovhi, Thato Sithole, Thamsanqa Sangweni, Morne Nel, Vincent Pule, Dumisani Zuma
Withdrawn from squad due to injury: Gift Motupa
Match Officials:
Referee: Thierry NKURUNZIZA (Burundi)
Ass. Referee 1: Ramadhan NIJIMBERE (Burundi)
Ass Referee 2: Hervé KAKUNZE (Burundi)
4th Official: Georges Gatogato (Burundi)
Match Commissioner: Charles Masembe (Uganda)