Bafana Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba strengthened his squad to play Burundi in Bujumbra on 6 July by adding five European based stars to the squad that defeated the Cote d’ Ivoire 2-1 in last Sunday’s must win penultimate qualifier played in Polokwane.
Mashaba has recalled wing backs Bradley Carnell who has recently signed for German club Borussia Moenchengladbach, and Jacob Lekgetho of Russia’s Locomotiv Moscow.
In midfield two other Russia-based players return. World Cup star Macbeth Sibaya is back after being suspended for the match against the Cote d’ Ivoire. Sibaya plays for Rubin FC and winger Japhet Zwane of Roston FC returns to fight for his place on the left wing.
The Bafana coach has also added FC Copenhagen winger Sibusiso Zuma to his attack, which already includes Shaun Bartlett (Charlton Athletic, England), Siyabonga Nomvete (Udinese, Italy) and Benni McCarthy (Celta Vigo, Spain ).
Zuma helped his club win the Danish championship last weekend and although he prefers to play wide on the right, Mashaba has on occasions used the versatile Zuma as a striker. Zuma played in an attacking role for Orlando Pirates before joining Copenhagen three seasons ago.
The big casualty was Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Brian Baloyi. Mashaba has opted for two keepers for this away match. They are Andre Arendse of Sundowns and Ajax Cape Town’s promising Moeneeb Josephs.
Bafana and Cote d’ Ivoire are level pegging at the top of the three team Group 11 with seven points apiece. Only the group winner qualifies for the African Nations Cup finals to be staged in Tunisia next January.
Bafana need a draw from their trip to trouble torn Burundi. The Ivorians will have a painful wait. Last Sunday was their final qualifying match so should Bafana lose, then the Ivorians would go through on a better goal difference, having defeated Burundi 6-1 in Abidjan earlier this month.
But Mashaba is leaving nothing to chance: ”We are going for maximum points. I do not believe those stories about Burundi fielding a weakened side against the Ivory Coast. I have watched that tape and we are preparing for a very tough 90 minutes.”
Bartlett and Nomvete scored the goals against the Ivorians in what was one of Bafana’s finest performances and Mashaba stressed that he will not allow complacency to settle in.
”I will be drumming it into the players that despite the fact Burundi do not have a point they could be an awkward hurdle at home. We all know that Bujumbura is not the easiest place to play in. But I was delighted by the professional manner in which we played against the Cote d’ Ivoire and I will be looking for a similar performance in our last qualifier so we can finish the group in style,” Mashaba said.
Goalkeepers: Andre Arendse (Sundowns), Moeneeb Josephs (Ajax Cape Town)
Defenders: Mbulelo Mabizela, Lucky Lekgwathi (both Orlando Pirates), Bradley Carnell (Borussia Moenchengladbach, Germany), Thabang Molefe (Jomo Cosmos), Tony Coyle (Wits), Jacob Lekgetho (Locomotiv Moscow, Russia), Aaron Mokoena (Germinal Beerschot, Belgium)
Midfielders: Stanton Fredericks, Jabu Mendu (both Kaizer Chiefs), Japhet Zwane (Roston FC, Russia), Delron Buckley (Vfl Bochum, Germany), Clement Mazibuko (Bush Bucks), Godfrey Sapula (Sundowns), Toboho Mokoena (Cosmos), Steven Pienaar (Ajax Amsterdam, Holland), Benson Mhlongo (Wits), Macbeth Sibaya (Rubin, Russia)e
Strikers: Benni McCarthy (Celta Vigo, Spain), Shaun Bartlett (Charlton Athletic, England), Siyabonga Nomvete (Udeinese, Italy) and Sibusiso Zuma (FCCopenhagen, Denmark). – Sapa