The local contingent of Bafana Bafana players left Johannesburg International airport on Sunday night to join their European-based counterparts for the international friendly against Iceland in Reykjavik on Wednesday, with talented Orlando Pirates striker Lebohang Mokoena hurriedly packing his luggage as a late replacement for the injured Shaun Bartlett.
The dazzling, inventive play of the talented Mokoena for the Buccaneers suggested he was ideally suited to replace Bartlett after South Africa’s top international scorer had reported injured at Charlton Athletic.
And Bafana coach Stuart Baxter’s unenviable task of compiling squads at the last minute because of the blasé manner in which the South African Football Association compiles fixtures was eased somewhat when European-based Mbulelo Mabizela and Siyabonga Nomvete both confirmed their availability.
The squad for the Iceland game, a warm-up for the crucial World Cup qualifier against Burkina Faso early in September, now appears to constitute the strongest available to Bafana — taking into account the injuries to Bartlett, Manchester United’s Quinton Fortune and left-back Bradley Carnell. — Sapa
Bafana squad
Goalkeepers: Hans Vonk (Ajax Amsterdam), Rowen Fernandez (Kaizer Chiefs).
Defenders: Bevan Fransman (Kaizer Chiefs), Ricardo Katza (Supersport United), Lucky Lekgwathi (Orlando Pirates), Aaron Mokoena (Blackburn Rovers), Nasief Morris (Panathinaikos).
Midfielders: Delron Buckley (Borussia Dortmund), Sibusiso Zuma (Arminia Bielefeld), Mbulelo Mabizela (Valeranga), Steven Pienaar (Ajax Amsterdam), Benedict Vilakazi (Orlando Pirates), Phil Evans (Supersport United) and Elrio van Heerden (FC Copenhagen).
Strikers: Benni McCarthy (Porto), Lebohang Mokoena (Orlando Pirates), Lungisani Ndlela (Supersport United), Siyabonga Nomvete (Udinese).