Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma's selection to the Bafana Bafana squad has sparked debate in local football fraternity as some people have been questioning his selection.
South Africa's senior national team head coach, Stuart Baxter, announced the Bafana squad to play a crucial Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Libya later this month, and one of the surprise inclusions in his squad is Chiefs' Bvuma.
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AmaZulu's Siyabonga Mbatha is one of the players that some people expected to see in Bafana squad, however, the 30-year-old shot-stopper has missed out as Baxter opted for Bidvest Wits' Darren Keet, SuperSport United's Ronwen Williams, as well as Bvuma from Chiefs as his three goalkeepers.
Mbatha has kept nine clean sheets so far this season during AmaZulu's impressive Absa Premiership campaign and is behind only to Williams and Bloemfontein Celtic's Patrick Tignyemb, who have each kept 10 clean sheets.
Former AmaZulu goalkeeper, Thembalethu Moses, has been impressed with the Umlazi-born shot-stopper.
"Mbatha is coming from far and he has improved a lot this season. The fact that he is keeping Moeneeb Josephs and Energy Murambadoro on the bench speaks volumes about his quality and improved performances. Mbatha has been great this season. Out of all the (PSL) goalkeepers this season, I think Mbatha is the best," said Moses.
"Mbatha has been to different clubs in his career, and while he struggled at some of the clubs, he never said that, 'I'm done' but he kept fighting. He is one the best goalkeepers we have at the moment. I have so much respect for local and foreign goalkeepers (in the PSL) but Mbatha has been the best this season. Sometimes we have to also give credit to the goalkeeper coaches for the work they do with the goalkeepers and in Mbatha's case, Davies Phiri has done a great job," added Moses.
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Meanwhile, AmaZulu's acting chairman Lunga Sokhela took to Twitter prior to Bafana squad announcement to confirm that he expected Mbatha to be in Baxter's team.
From the three goalkeepers selected for Bafana, the Usuthu official singled out Bvuma to congratulate him, after Mbatha did not make it to the squad.
"Oh well... good luck to Bvuma. Will encourage Mbatha to work even harder and his turn will come...," tweeted the Usuthu official.
Oh well... good luck to Bvuma. Will encourage Mbatha to work even harder and his turn will come...#Usuthu_Unite
— Lunga Sokhela (@Lunga_Sokhela) March 11, 2019
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