South African Football Association officials looked on in disbelief on Monday as 22 of the 26 Bafana Bafana players who are earmarked for next month’s African Nations Cup tournament — including controversially recalled Pierre Issa — signed up at their Johannesburg training headquarters.

A case of the right time, the right place and the right circumstances for all the parties concerned was how agent and former Orlando Pirates coach Mike Makaab on Wednesday night described the signing of Bafana Bafana striker Siyabonga Nomvete by the Buccaneers.

The Bafana Bafana honeymoon came to an abrupt halt for Ted Dumitru on Friday as startling revelations emerged regarding two of the players the caretaker coach has selected for next month’s African Nations Cup tournament. According to media reports, top striker Benni McCarthy wants to be excused from the tournament.

Black Leopards refuted the old adage that leopards never change their spots with a rejuvenated 2-2 Premier Soccer League (PSL) draw against Kaizer Chiefs at a jam-packed Thohoyandou Stadium on Wednesday afternoon in the wake of their recent 5-1 pummelling at the hands of Mamelodi Sundowns.

New Bafana Bafana coach Ted Dumitru has insisted on Monday that his pronouncement that ”some players on the initial shortlist of 35 for the African Nations Cup will bow out — while others not in the 35 will be included in an abbreviated list of 26 on Thursday” is in line with the squad’s evolution.

Almost 25 years to the day after losing a memorable Mainstay Cup final against Orlando Pirates at Orlando Stadium, Moroka Swallows buried the ghost of that landmark defeat with a throbbing 3-1 Premier Soccer League victory over their old derby rivals at Orlando Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Kaizer Chiefs’ players mobbed an inspired Emile Baron after the hair-raising 2-1 Premier League win over Golden Arrows at FNB Stadium on Saturday night. The goalkeeper make two point-blank saves in the final 60 seconds that ensured three points for the defending PSL champions.