Pirates defeat Durban City; Bafana Bafana squad players participated in the match

Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane explained his decisions regarding the retention of veteran Themba Zwane in the national team's management group. He announced the final list of 30 players for Bafana Bafana on Thursday afternoon at Safa House.

This squad was presented ahead of the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations against Guinea and Eritrea, as well as before a friendly match against Egypt.

Bafana will face Guinea at Orlando Stadium Arena on Saturday, September 26, Eritrea at Al Salam Stadium on Wednesday, September 30, and then play Egypt at Cairo International Stadium on Sunday, October 4.

The concept of continuity and bringing in a fresh perspective defined Mosimane's first squad during his second term, reflecting his strategy of building upon the foundations laid by Hugo Brues while simultaneously addressing key areas for improvement.

Retaining the World Cup Core Team

Eighteen members of the squad participated in the group that achieved a historic playoff exit at the recent FIFA World Cup. Player selection was based on current form, experience, and availability.

Veteran playmaker Themba Zwane, aged 37, who endured a difficult World Cup and remains a fringe player at Mamelodi Sundowns, was brought back to the team to provide vital leadership and experience. Mosimane acknowledged that he may not be an automatic starter.

Since the domestic league is in its early stages and viewing time is limited, Mosimane retained his proven goalkeepers: Ronwen Williams, Sipho Chen, and Ricardo Gossa, despite Williams and Gossa now being teammates and rivals for the starting goalkeeper spot at Sundowns.

Zwane's Return as Leader

Williams has a clear opportunity to strengthen his place in the team, as Mosimane confirmed that Williams, Zwane, and Chen will feature among the team leaders.

The start of the season also encouraged players who were previously on the bench or excluded. Cassius Mailule, Luther Sing, and Lebohang Maboe have returned to the national team with expectations of immediate impact.

Several notable names—including Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Talente Mbatata, Evidens Makgopu, and Huliso Mudau—were not selected due to ongoing rehabilitation from injuries.

Mosimane expressed strong confidence that the new and returning faces will bring much-needed energy, specifically highlighting the selection of Yanela Mbuthumu from Orlando Pirates, stating that the forward fully deserves his spot despite criticism for missed opportunities.

South African players playing for foreign clubs, such as Relebokhile Mofokeng, Tapelo Maseko, and Shandre Campbell, have successfully adapted in their new European clubs, and Mosimane is interested in seeing how they translate club form onto the international stage.

Proteas captain Themba Bavuma demonstrated good form for the Lions team on the first day of the domestic First-Class season. He prepared for the international season by scoring 91 runs for the Lions in the opening first-class match.

After Proteas coach Shukri Conrad instructed all nationally contracted players to participate in the first-class series, Bavuma regained his form, showing an impressive half-century at the Wanderers stadium. He looked confident against the Boland attack, which featured former Proteas quicks Glenton Stuurman and Lizzad Williams. During his time at the crease, totaling 146 balls, Bavuma dismissed 14 boundaries.

The rest of the top order also spent valuable time at the crease, although they might have wished for longer play. Ryan Rickelton played a gritty match, scoring 49 runs off 60 balls, including 10 boundaries, before being caught by Williams.

In Newlands, Tristan Stubbs showed his readiness for red-ball cricket against Western Province Cobras. Stubbs came onto the field when the Table Mountain was covered with a tablecloth, and his teammate Proteas Dan Patterson batted and swung effectively against the new ball. However, Stubbs worked hard, reaching 46 runs off 94 balls (7 fours) before former South African youth spinner Asashe Tsaka managed a sharp deflection and turn, leading to the Proteas batsman being caught at the wicket.

Senuran Mutusama, who recovered from a lower back muscle spasm that prevented him from participating in the South African 'A' series, once again demonstrated his versatility, scoring 61 runs for the Warriors. The bowling unit also received good training as Marco Jansen and Lungie Ngidi bowled extensively. Ngidi concluded his spell with figures of 1/28 in eight overs, while Jansen took 3/39 in nine overs.

Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj quickly got to work for the Dolphins, bowling 15 overs and finishing with figures of 1/53.

All attention will be focused on Pitso Mosimane in the coming days as he shapes his first Bafana Bafana squad ahead of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers. The new head coach, Pitso Mosimane, has quickly started working with Bafana Bafana, and his preliminary squad suggests that maintaining stability is important, although no one's place is guaranteed.

The 35-man squad includes a significant number of players who participated in the 2026 World Cup under Hugo Broos, which is understandable after Bafana reached the tournament playoffs. However, Mosimane has also included several new names, making the situation quite interesting.

The new coach did not come with the conviction that every squad decision made by Broos must be retained simply because he led Bafana to the World Cup playoffs. On the contrary, coach Pitso Mosimane announced the preliminary squad for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Guinea and Eritrea. South Africa will also play a friendly away match against Egypt on October 4, 2026.

Bafana Bafana

New faces have appeared in the preliminary squad, returning players, and footballers who previously failed to break into the squad under Broos. Among the players who give the squad a completely different look are Puso Ditadjane, Shandri Campbell, Cemran Dansin, Lebone Sima, and Ronaldo van Niel. Furthermore, Luther Singh, who has been out of focus for a long time at Bafana, as well as Lebohang Maboe and Cassius Mailula, feature again in the squad discussion.

Another notable inclusion is Tashrik Matthews. A similar mindset is evident regarding Yanel Mbutuma. His inclusion was unexpected, given the criticism he received at Orlando Pirates for finishing attacks, but this also speaks to Mosimane's approach to the job: he is ready to conduct his own assessment.

There is an important difference between respecting what Broos built and simply copying it. Bafana has a World Cup foundation, and Mosimane would be shortsighted if he dismantled it before the upcoming matches against Guinea and Eritrea on September 26 and 30, respectively. But he would be equally foolish to assume that the team cannot be improved.

Thus, the preliminary squad is more aimed at competition than at a complete overhaul. Established players are now competing with younger and returning footballers. This can only positively affect Bafana. For a long time, the national team sometimes felt like a closed circle of acquaintances; once a player entered the main group, it was difficult to introduce someone new. Mosimane immediately opened that door.

However, this also places pressure on him. It is easy to call up different players, but getting the right players onto the field to help Bafana improve is a difficult task. Mosimane has very little time for experiments, as the matches against Guinea and Eritrea are not just friendlies, but AFCON qualifiers, and Bafana needs results.

There is a foundation, and Mosimane should build upon it, not try to create a completely new Bafana. Early signs show that this is exactly what is happening. He has retained enough players from Broos's World Cup group to maintain continuity while making enough changes so that the old hierarchy is not automatically preserved. This is the perfect balance. Bafana does not need another restructuring; it needs evolution, and Mosimane's first squad demonstrates that he understands this difference.