Nedbank Ke Yona Team graduate, Maphosa Modiba, has been selected as part of the South African Senior Men’s National Team, Bafana Bafana, that is scheduled to take on Mauritania in the 2017 Gabon Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, as well as Egypt in the 2016 Nelson Mandela Challenge.
Nedbank Ke Yona Team graduate, Maphosa Modiba, has been selected as part of the South African Senior Men’s National Team, Bafana Bafana, that is scheduled to take on Mauritania in the 2017 Gabon Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, as well as Egypt in the 2016 Nelson Mandela Challenge.
Bafana Bafana will face Mauritania on Friday, 2 September 2016 at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, and will then lock horns with Egypt four days later (Tuesday, 6 September 2016) at Orlando Stadium in Soweto.
Both matches kickoff at 19h05.
This will be Modiba’s first international call up at senior level having recently returned from the 2016 Rio Olympics in Brazil with the South African u23 National Team.
Modiba’s rise to the top began in 2014 at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, where the Ke Yona Team selectors identified him as a raw talent worth noting. From then on Modiba has been exceptional, helping his then club, Mpumalanga Black Aces (it is now defunct and has been bought by Cape Town City FC) finish fourth in the PSL.
He was also voted PSL Young Player of the Season, further stamping his authority in South African football. Modiba was also a permanent feature in the South African u20 Men’s National Team under current Bafana Bafana coach Ephraim Shakes Mashaba.
He was part of the u20 squad that competed in the 2015 CAF African Youth Championship in Senegal.
Prior to travelling to Rio for the Olympic Games, the left-footed player also helped South Africa to winning gold at the 2016 COSAFA Castle Cup tournament held in Namibia.
“To represent your country is every footballer’s dream and I am very grateful to be selected for these two important matches. I can certainly count myself as one of the fortunate footballers to have come through the ranks – u20, u23 and now with Bafana Bafana – and this is indeed a dream come true,” said an elated Modiba. “Just being part of the senior squad is a huge vote of confidence and I will certainly do my best should I be given a chance to play against either Mauritania or Egypt. The call up is a result of hard work and dedication, and I would like to thank Nedbank with the Ke Yona Team Search as it is where it all started for me. I believe with the talent we have in this country, more players will emerge from the project.”
Bafana Bafana go into camp on Sunday, 28 August.
Meanwhile, more stars are set to be unveiled when the 2016 Ke Yona Team takes on reigning Nedbank Cup Champions, Supersport United.
The clash takes place on Sunday, 4 September at the Sinaba Stadium in Daveyton.
Tickets are available free of charge at all Computicket stores nationwide.