Big surprises in Pitso Mosimane’s first Bafana Bafana squad for AFCON qualifiers

[p]Mosimane has several injury worries, particularly in defence with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbokazi-mbekezile/zg795kmf/"]no Mbekezeli Mbokazi[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mudau-khuliso/6Hn06vf2/"]Khuliso Mudau[/a] though injury, but has gone largely with his tried and trusted.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/south-africa/W2ijYvlr/"]South Africa[/a] face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/guinea/lGDZlkOb/"]Guinea[/a] in Johannesburg on September 26, before travelling to neutral [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/al-nasr-cairo/zeb5g0zd/"]Cairo[/a] to face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/eritrea/ns8a5zLl/"]Eritrea[/a] four days later. They also have a friendly international against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/egypt/bejDn7NN/"]Egypt[/a] at the same venue on October 4.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cyprus/fumziNU3/"]Cyprus[/a]-based [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/singh-luther/z37rCFPO/"]Luther Singh[/a] has not played for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bafanas-fc/jskStdAg/"]Bafana[/a] since 2021 but has earned a surprise recall.  [/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chicago-fire/UwAwNo2E/"]Chicago Fire[/a]’s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dithejane-puso/j7xVIm1h/"]Puso Dithejane[/a] has been rewarded for his fine form this season, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/matthews-tashreeq/tlUN637L/"]Tashreeq Matthews[/a] also gets a look-in.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/campbell-shandre/bo9R7dT1/"]Shandre Campbell[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maseko-thapelo/fPICDHL5/"]Thapelo Maseko[/a] have also earned call-ups, but there is no place for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/foster-lyle/Kh0tCZmg/"]Lyle Foster[/a], who has not kicked a ball since the opening game of the 2026 World Cup against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mexico/O6iHcNkd/"]Mexico[/a].[/p][embed guid="8b17c0c8-9909-436d-bded-68c52b7bc494" url="https://x.com/SAFA_net/status/2100531149915250747?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rayners-iqraam/8M2gNoUh/"]Iqraam Rayners[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbuthuma-yanela/Yau3xnYk/"]Yanela Mbuthuma[/a] are the two central striker options, though [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mailula-cassius/UZ51tgN4/"]Cassius Mailula[/a] could also be used in that role. The evergreen [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zwane-themba/hnSM11RK/"]Themba Zwane[/a] has been retained at the age of 37.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/makhanya-olwethu/Io2gXoT8/"]Olwethu Makhanya[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ndamane-ayanda/f1xzNGBf/"]Khulumani Ndamane[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/okon-ime/EFI44jgD/"]Ime Okon[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/seema-lebone/44qUg6X4/"]Lebone Seema[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sibisi-nkosinathi/6Bm7v77H/"]Nkosinathi Sibisi[/a] are the centre-back options.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/modiba-aubrey/tWExAYOC/"]Aubrey Modiba[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kabini-samukele/Q7PoBDsT/"]Samukele Kabini[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/basadien-fawaaz/WSudLcIq/"]Fawaaz Basadien[/a] are the left-back choices, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sebelebele-kamogelo/xU3kPyH0/"]Kamogelo Sebelebele[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/matuludi-tholo/0dMwlCzI/"]Thabang Matuludi[/a], who has not kicked a ball this season ahead of his move to Sundowns, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/morena-thapelo/n1idD8b9/"]Thapelo Morena[/a] are the right-back options. [/p][p] [/p][p][b]SOUTH AFRICA SQUAD[/b][/p][p][b]Goalkeepers: [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/williams-ronwen/lQRX0UzA/"]Ronwen Williams[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mamelodi-sundowns/lxZ6Bzh6/"]Mamelodi Sundowns[/a]), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/chaine-sipho/pO7ZpkDI/"]Sipho Chaine[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/orlando-pirates/p4SF9EMI/"]Orlando Pirates[/a]), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/goss-ricardo/dEZDIGdM/"]Ricardo Goss[/a] (Mamelodi Sundowns).[/p][p][b]Defenders: [/b]Aubrey Modiba (Mamelodi Sundowns), Samukele Kabini ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/molde/KYcp5BgH/"]Molde[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/norway/8rP6JO0H/"]Norway[/a]), Fawaaz Basadien (Mamelodi Sundowns), Kamogelo Sebelebele (Orlando Pirates), Thapelo Morena (Mamelodi Sundowns), Thabang Matuludi (Mamelodi Sundowns), Olwethu Makhanya ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/queens-park-rangers/OSWG7skE/"]Rangers[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/scotland/fZRU25WH/"]Scotland[/a]), Khulumani Ndamane (Mamelodi Sundowns), Ime Okon ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/hannover/dfNCCCzS/"]Hannover 96[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/germany/ptQide1O/"]Germany[/a]), Lebone Seema (Orlando Pirates), Nkosinathi Sibisi (Orlando Pirates).[/p][p][b]Midfielders:[/b] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mokoena-teboho/MFTeufFd/"]Teboho Mokoena[/a] (Mamelodi Sundowns), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maboe-lebohang/AeSfXxdF/"]Lebohang Maboe[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kaizer-chiefs/fFZ2CGx0/"]Kaizer Chiefs[/a]), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/yaya-sithole/8QxUv8F5/"]Sphephelo Sithole[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tondela/nFFgCnVo/"]CD Tondela[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/portugal/WvJrjFVN/"]Portugal[/a]), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/aubaas-bathusi/CllaXXQG/"]Bathusi Aubaas[/a] (Mamelodi Sundowns), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/poggenpoel-brooklyn/EHKinqub/"]Brooklyn Poggenpoel[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/durban-city/jVI6SFig/"]Durban City[/a]).[/p][p][b]Forwards: [/b]Iqraam Rayners (Mamelodi Sundowns), Yanela Mbuthuma (Orlando Pirates), Cassius Mailula (Mamelodi Sundowns), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/appollis-oswin/6e9QI2W6/"]Oswin Appollis[/a] (Orlando Pirates), Puso Dithejane (Chicago Fire, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/usa/fuitL4CF/"]USA[/a]), Tashreeq Matthews (Mamelodi Sundowns), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mofokeng-relebohile/hx20yWyp/"]Relebohile Mofokeng[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/royale-union-sg/407h8Ird/"]Royale Union Saint-Gilloise[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/belgium/GbB957na/"]Belgium[/a]), Themba Zwane (Mamelodi Sundowns), Thapelo Maseko ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fc-copenhagen/hSPZwbEh/"]FC Copenhagen[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/denmark/0KUdxQVi/"]Denmark[/a]), Luther Singh ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ael-limassol/bBTwQWuj/"]AEL Limassol[/a], Cyprus), Shandre Campbell ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kortrijk/2o6njvyG/"]KV Kortrijk[/a], Belgium).[/p][infobox id="584d9683-f419-4696-8cb3-c155213092a0" /]