South Africa’s head coach Hugo Broos has announced his final 23-man squad for their remaining two matches in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Uganda and South Sudan, Afrosport reports.
The Bafana Bafana squad includes some regular faces like goalkeeper and captain Ronwen Williams, left-back Audrey Modiba, midfield talisman Teboho Mokoena, and forwards Evidence Makgopa and Elias Mokwana.
Broos, who announced an initial 38-man preliminary squad last month, has failed to add Percy Tau to his final squad for the second straight round of qualifiers.
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos names his final squad for this month’s 2025 AFCON qualifiers against Uganda (away, 15 November 2024) and South Sudan (in Cape Town, 19 November 2024). These are the final matches of the qualifying campaign.#BafanaPride#AFCONqualifiers pic.twitter.com/HANkiTb65r
— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) November 7, 2024
The Belgian, however, has his sights set on helping Bafana Bafana across the line, highlighting the importance of the next two games.
“These two games are very important,” Broos said on Thursday. “We can qualify for AFCON in Uganda if we win, but if we don’t [win], then we have to do it against South Sudan at home. So, these games are very important.
“It is also important for me that I can always count on nearly the same players. They know how we work, and they know what we ask from them in a game. So, there is no adaptation. You also create friendships between players when you always have nearly the same players.
“So, again, we will try to win the first game in Uganda so that when we come back, we have already qualified, and we have a relaxed game against South Sudan.”
Bafana Bafana will head to the Mandela National Stadium in Kampala to take on Uganda Cranes on Friday, November 15, followed by a home clash at Cape Town Stadium against the Bright Stars of South Sudan on Tuesday, November 19.
They sit second in Group K with eight points after two wins and two losses, while Uganda tops the group with 10 points, with Congo Brazzaville and South Sudan in third and fourth places respectively.
Bafana Bafana needs just two more points from the final round of games to secure their place in next year’s tournament in Morocco, and make it back-to-back AFCON appearances.
Final 23-man squad list for South Africa
Goalkeeper: Ronwen Williams, Sage Stephens, Sipho Chaine
Defenders: Sydney Nyiko Mobbie, Mothobi Mvala, Rushwin Dortley, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Aubrey Modiba, Khuliso Mudau, Fawaaz Basadien, Siyabonga Ngezana
Midfielders: Teboho Mokoena, Bathusi Aubaas, Thalente Mbatha, Luke Le Roux
Forwards: Evidence Makgopa, Oswin Appollis, Patrick Maswanganyi, Iqraam Rayners, Mihlali Mayambela, Elias Mokwana, Relebohile Mofokeng, Thapelo Morena
