South Africans still in UEFA club competitions after defender advances in Champions League

[p]Defender [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mccarthy-aden/pf7hz3si/"]Aden McCarthy[/a] came on at the start of extra time to help secure a 6-4 aggregate win over Israeli outfit [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/h-beer-sheva/EXAD1YZP/"]Hapoel Be'er Sheva[/a] after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sabah-baku/fNGcxbyr/"]Sabah[/a] had been seconds from going out.[/p][p]Sabah trailed 4-3 on aggregate in the 94th minute, at the end of regulation time, but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mutallimov-tellur/Spxg3PPM/"]Tellur Mutallimov[/a] equalised following a corner and they ran away with the tie in extra time.[/p][p]Sabah were only formed in 2017 and are appearing in the Champions League for the first time, having been crowned Azerbaijani champions last season.[/p][p]They have already come through four rounds of competition, beating The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tns/lGMtZWUH/"]New Saints[/a] (Wales), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kups/nLBbqJDS/"]KuPS[/a] (Finland), Gift Links' [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/aarhus/OOXnKGbO/"]AGF Aarhus[/a] (Denmark) and now Hapoel Be'er Sheva.[/p][p]McCarthy will find out who his side will face in Thursday's league-phase draw, with Sabah guaranteed eight matches.[/p][embed guid="784ddcc0-314d-4d5a-b5e5-48a4554c8d02" url="https://x.com/themomentfooty/status/2092349111702089971?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]He is not the only player with South African citizenship still in Champions League contention, though the involvement of the others is less certain.[/p][p]Forward [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kianga-manasse/zciCiU6j/"]Manasse Kianga[/a], who holds dual South African and English citizenship, plays for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/slovan-bratislava/QRaWdwQf/"]Slovan Bratislava[/a], who are coached by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/toure-yaya/v1SiJzyM/"]Yaya Toure[/a], and has already netted in the Champions League this season against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mjallby/S0XtXM1E/"]Mjällby[/a].[/p][p]His side must still qualify for the league phase and will play the second leg of their play-off tie away at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/celje/SpbURe4O/"]Celje[/a] on Wednesday, having drawn the home leg [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/celje-SpbURe4O/slovan-bratislava-QRaWdwQf/?mid=xhudNKqS"]1-1[/a].[/p][p]Twenty-year-old left-back [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sibiya-thato/4SJSKvid/"]Thato Sibiya[/a] has just completed a loan move from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mamelodi-sundowns/lxZ6Bzh6/"]Mamelodi Sundowns[/a] to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lille/pfDZL71o/"]Lille[/a] and may be registered for the league phase of the Champions League.[/p][p]He is at the club under Davide Ancelotti, son of legendary coach [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ancelotti-carlo/nZQG5IgJ/"]Carlo Ancelotti[/a].[/p][p]Goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brits-spike/z7n7JIPt/"]Spike Brits[/a] is contracted to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]Manchester City[/a] but has been loaned to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sutton/8OOOiMps/"]Sutton United[/a] for the season, so unless he is recalled at some point, he will not feature. He would have been unlikely to play even had he stayed.[/p][embed guid="4fffa59a-9ddd-4d8c-ad01-18449170cd81" url="https://x.com/RMFC1919/status/2084743261139116135?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]There are a couple of South African representatives in the UEFA Europa League, though that number may well dwindle this week.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/makhanya-bafana/xQiKyuF6/"]Bafana Bafana[/a] international [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mayambela-mihlali/M9dYO0Ps/"]Mihlali Mayambela[/a] is at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/omonia/GSLWiAPe/"]Omonia[/a] in Cyprus, who host Belgian side [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/st-truiden/d2EjBxMM/"]Sint-Truiden[/a] in the second leg of their final qualifying tie, but trail [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/omonia-GSLWiAPe/st-truiden-d2EjBxMM/?mid=StGs9BSj"]1-0[/a] from the away game.[/p][p]Links' AGF Aarhus also look to be heading for the exit after a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/aarhus-OOXnKGbO/benfica-zBkyuyRI/?mid=Yij0MR6E"]3-1[/a] loss at Portuguese giants [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/benfica/zBkyuyRI/"]Benfica[/a] in the first leg of their tie. The second leg is at home on Thursday.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mofokeng-relebohile/hx20yWyp/"]Relebohile Mofokeng[/a] and his [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/royale-union-sg/407h8Ird/"]Union Saint-Gilloise[/a] side have already qualified for the league phase of the competition.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sishuba-ayanda/Y3Pr63Lm/"]Ayanda Sishuba[/a], who is eligible for South Africa through his father, former professional footballer Asanda Sishuba, is at French side [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/rennes/d2nnj1IE/"]Rennes[/a] but has barely featured for the first team.[/p][embed guid="d6b84b25-a697-4fb4-802f-268bdc71e6fb" url="https://x.com/RayMaboya/status/2086513763373535467?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]There are also South African connections in the UEFA Conference League, including new [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/rangers/8vAWQXNS/"]Rangers[/a] signing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/makhanya-olwethu/Io2gXoT8/"]Olwethu Makhanya[/a], who has impressed since his move to Scotland.[/p][p]Rangers lead Czech side [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/jablonec/CM8ySpMH/"]Jablonec[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/jablonec-CM8ySpMH/rangers-8vAWQXNS/?mid=AZruZ4jK"]1-0[/a] from the first leg of their final qualifying-round tie ahead of the away clash on Thursday.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/motherwell/YuW7ZfMM/"]Motherwell[/a] goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/paulsen-alex/AF8MfxI4/"]Alex Paulsen[/a] has a South African father and also holds South African citizenship, although he is a New Zealand international. Motherwell trail German side [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/freiburg/fiEQZ7C7/"]Freiburg[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/freiburg-fiEQZ7C7/motherwell-YuW7ZfMM/?mid=dYTjg8LU"]3-1[/a] going into the away leg and look unlikely to progress.[/p][infobox id="584d9683-f419-4696-8cb3-c155213092a0" /]