23 August 2019– Interim Bafana Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki has announced a squad of 23 players to face Zambia in an international friendly match next month.

He has made nine changes to the squad that participated in the 2019 AFCON tournament in Egypt in June.

He has brought in goalkeeper Brandon Petersen (Bidvest Wits); defenders Eric Mathoho (Kaizer Chiefs), Thato Mokeke (Cape Town City), Thapelo Morena (Mamelodi Sundowns); midfielders Rivaldo Coetzee (Mamelodi Sundowns), Lebohang Phiri (Guingamp FC – France), Keagan Dolly (Montpellier FC – France) as well as forwards Bradley Grobler (Supersport United) and Kermit Erasmus (Cape Town City).

This will be Ntseki’s first match in charge following the resignation of head coach Stuart Baxter after the AFCON tournament in which Bafana Bafana reached the quarter-finals.

The clash, scheduled for Saturday, (Kick off 15h00) 7 September at Lusaka’s Nkoloma Stadium, is to prepare South Africa for the upcoming back-to-back 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Ghana and Sudan to be played in November.

Bafana Bafana and Chipolopolo will be meeting for the 22nd time since 1992 – and the Zambians are by far South Africa’s most regular opponents, followed by Nigeria and Botswana with 15 clashes each.

Ntseki’s charges have mastered six wins and lost seven games, with eight matches drawn against Zambia.

The last meeting was in March last year, a Four Nations Cup final won 2-0 by South Africa in Ndola under Baxter.

The squad assembles on Sunday, 1 September in Johannesburg and departs for Zambia on Thursday 5 September.

Bafana Bafana return to South Africa the day after the match (Sunday, 8 September).

SA SENIOR MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM LIST

POSITIONS PLAYER’S NAME                CLUB
 GOALKEEPERS:
1 Darren KEET OH Leuven FC (Belgium)
2 Ronwen WILLIAM Supersport United FC (SA)
3 Brandon PETERSEN Bidvest Wits FC (SA)
 DEFENDERS:
4 Erick MATHOHO Kaizer Chiefs FC (SA)
5 Buhle MKHWANAZI Bidvest Wits FC (SA)
6 Thulani HLATSHWAYO Bidvest Wits FC (SA)
7 Thapelo MORENA Mamelodi Sundowns FC (SA)
8 Thamsanqa MKHIZE Cape Town City FC (SA)
9 Innocent MAELA Orlando Pirates FC (SA)
10 Thato MOKEKE Cape Town City FC (SA)
 MIDFIELDERS:
11 Kamohelo MOKOTJO Brentfort FC (England)
12 Rivaldo COETZEE Mamelodi Sundowns FC (SA)
13 Dean FURMAN Supersport United FC (SA)
14 Lebohang PHIRI Guingamp FC (France)
15 Bongani ZUNGU Amiens FC (France)
16 Thembinkosi LORCH Orlando Pirates FC (SA)
17 Thulani SERERO Vitesse Arnhem FC (Netherlands)
19 Percy TAU Club Brugge FC (Belgium)
20 Lebohang MABOE Mamelodi Sundowns FC (SA)
21 Keagan DOLLY Montpellier FC (France)
FORWARDS
22 Lebo MOTHIBA Strasbourg FC (France)
23 Bradley GROBLER Supersport United FC (SA)
24 Kermit ERASMUS Cape Town City FC (SA)