With Ronwen Williams recently recovering from injury, Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Sipho Chaine has broken into the Bafana Bafana final squad for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Chaine has been a consistent performer for the Buccaneers, but has been unable to break into the senior national team. His chance has finally come and he probably has a realistic opportunity of even featuring on the field in one of the qualifiers against Uganda and South Sudan, considering the form he has been for the Soweto giants.
What gives Chaine an advantage is the fact that he has been playing, while the other goalkeepers wait for the Premiership to start. Goss' only game so far has been the MTN8 quarter-finals against Pirates, while there has been no competitive action for Mothwa.
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With Sundowns' Mothobi Mvala out nursing an injury, Broos will probably rely on Siyabonga Ngezana, who featured in the World Cup qualifiers against Nigeria and Zimbabwe a few months ago. Ngezana was not fazed as he featured in senior national team colours for the first time, so he will have a big role to play in the qualifiers early next month.
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Relebohile Mofokeng got his first opportunity to play for Bafana in June when the national team took on Zimbabwe in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier. He came on in the final few moments of the match and he will be hoping to get more minutes on the pitch in the upcoming matches, especially in the form he has been for Pirates since the start of the new season.
New Kaizer Chiefs signing Rushwin Dortley has made the final squad, after impressing during the Cosafa Cup a few months ago. Chiefs-linked left back Fawaaz Basadien has also made the cut.
Bafana are in Group K of the qualifiers and will face Uganda and South Sudan on September 6 and 10 respectively, first at home and then away.
SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Ricardo Goss, Veli Mothwa, Sipho Chaine
Defenders: Sydney Mobbie, Khuliso Mudau, Thapelo Morena, Aubrey Modiba, Siyabonga Ngezana, Grant Kekana, Rushwin Dortely, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Fawaaz Basadien.
Midfielders: Teboho Mokoena, Sphephelo Sithole, Jayden Adams, Thalente Mbatha
Forwards: Lyle Foster, Relebohile Mofokeng, Elias Mokwana, Themba Zwane, Oswin Appollis, Patrick Maswanganyi, Iqraam Rayners
