Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter is taking no chances when he faces Australia in a friendly international at the Absa Stadium in Durban next Wednesday night.
Baxter, in naming his 20-man squad, on Wednesday selected a balanced combination with the emphasis on attack.
He named leading Premier Soccer League striker Sandile Ndlovu of Dynamos as his only new cap.
The only absentee from the regular squad is Dutch based goalkeeper Hans Vonk.
Vonk, the number-one choice, was injured playing for his club Ajax Amsterdam.
”I decided after getting medical advice from my medical staff to leave Vonk out for this match. Playing him could aggravate the injury. I need Vonk’s experience against Uganda when we resume our World Cup qualifying programme next month,” explained Baxter.
Bafana host Uganda in their second-round group-two match at home at the end of March.
Supersport United’s in-form goalkeeper Calvin Marlin will replace Vonk, while Ajax Cape Town’s Moeneeb Josephs will be the back-up ‘keeper.
Baxter has selected six strikers, including the exciting prospect Ndlovu: ”This is Ndlovu’s just reward for a great season so far. But he may not get a game. It will be up to him to make the most of the camp in Durban and impress me … I hope he will benefit from the Bafana camp.
”He should look to the example of Tyren Arendse [Orlando Pirates] who waited patiently and when he got the chance, took it with both hands.”
Arendse, Ndlovu, Shaun Bartlett of Charlton Athletic, FC Porto’s Benni McCarthy, Siyabonga Nomvete (Empoli, Italy) and FC Copenhagen’s versatile Sibusiso Zuma are the strike force.
Both Bartlett and McCarthy will start, as they have been in tremendous form for their respective European clubs.
Manchester United’s Quinton Fortune will be given the role of anchoring the midfield where Ajax Amsterdam playmaker Steven Pienaar is expected to test the Socceroos, whose squad comprises only players based in Europe.
”The Australians do not do friendly matches. No matter which sport they compete in, they do it as if their lives depended on it. So we have to match them for attitude and determination. This is going to be tough. But while I want to win it, I also want to use this for development,” said Baxter. — Sapa
The full Bafana Bafana squad:
Goalkeepers: Calvin Marlin (Supersport United), Moeneeb Josephs (Ajax Cape Town).
Defenders: Bradley Carnell (Karlsruhe, Germany), Nasief Morris (Panathinaikos, Greece), Aaron Mokoena (Blackburn Rovers, England), Thabiso Ramille (Mamelodi Sundowns), Cyril Nzama and Siphiwe Mkhonza (both Kaizer Chiefs).
Midfielders: Steven Pienaar (Ajax Amsterdam, The Netherlands), Quinton Fortune (Manchester United, England), Delron Buckley (Arminia Bielefeld, Germany), Jabu Pule (SV Mattersburg, Austria), Benedict Vilakazi and Gift Leremi (both Orlando Pirates).
Strikers: Shaun Bartlett (Charlton Athletic, England), Benni McCarthy (FC Porto, Portugal), Tyren Arendse (Pirates), Siyabonga Nomvete (Empoli, Italy), Sibusiso Zuma (FC Copenhagen, Denmark) and Sandile Ndlovu (Dynamos).