FIVE Orlando Pirates players in the final Bafana squad
Deserved recognition for in-form players
Five Orlando Pirates players have made the final Bafana Bafana squad for Afcon qualifiers in September.
Quintet of Orlando Pirates players in the final Bafana Bafana squad
Goalkeeper Sipho Chaine, defender Nkosinathi Sibisi, midfielder Thalente Mbatha and attackers Patrick Maswanganyi and Rleebohile Mofokeng are the players in question. Mofokeng was on the score sheet on Wednesday as Pirates battled to a 1-1 draw with Cape Town City in the MTN8 semi-final first leg.
Exciting personnel at Pirates
Dancing Angolan right-winger Gilberto arrived at the club for R11 million in late June and finally made his competitive debut in the MTN8 semi-final first-leg draw with City. Thabiso Monyane played right-back with Van Rooyen ineligible and Thabiso Lebitso nursing an injury. Monyane, unfortunately, has missed out on this final Bafana squad after being named in the preliminary group.
Former Pirates man Foster is heading back to the EPL
Meanwhile, over in England, newly-promoted Ipswich Town is negotiating a long transfer for Lyle Foster with an obligation to buy. The 23-year-old Soweto-born striker scored five goals and supplied three assists in 24 Premier League appearances last term. Foster has 12 caps and four goals for South Africa. The obligation to buy figure is £25m, roughly €30m or R594 million.
Bucs to wield the axe
According to SoccerLaduma sources, Pirates will sell or loan out as many as seven players before the new season. Sphamandla Gumede, Sandile Mthethwa, Bandile Shandu, Siphelo Baloni, Katlego Otladisa, Azola Tshobeni and the returning Goodman Mosele are all on the chopping block.
“They want to cut the squad to a sizeable one at least between 30 and 32 players, and now the team has over 40. That’s why they’re looking at letting some of them leave,” their source said.
What are your early thoughts on the final squad?
Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this article or emailing info@thesouthafrican.com. Meanwhile, you can also send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for your social fix.
Orlando Pirates finished the 2023-2024 DStv Premiership campaign in second place, earning a spot in the 2024-2025 Caf Champions League. Jose Riveiro’s team also won two major honours, beating Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup and MTN8 finals. Riveiro’s mandate will be to dethrone Sundowns and deliver the first top-flight league title for the Buccaneers fans since 2012.