South Africa Confirm Angola Friendly

Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter has confirmed that South Africa will tackle Angola in their second international friendly before the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations that starts in Egypt on June 21.

According to Baxter, the game, which is set to be played in Cairo on June 19, will help the Bafana Bafana prepare well ahead of the tournament.

South Africa has been drawn against giants Ivory Coast and Morocco, with Namibia completing Group D.

“We’re going to play Angola in Egypt on July 19^th just four days after the match against Ghana,” Baxter told reporters.

Five days ago, several media outlets in Johannesburg reported about the Angola friendly but there was no official word about the date when the friendly was to be played.

Meanwhile, Baxter named his 23-man squad for the competition on Sunday, springing few surprises as he went with the core of the players who had qualified the team for the showpiece event.

The coach omitted Fortune Makaringe, Ben Motshwari and Kermit Erasmus alongside Mamelodi Sundowns’ Rivaldo Coetzee, who was ruled out of selection under controversial circumstances earlier in the week.

Notable absentee from the final squad is Keagan Dolly who aggravated his groin strain last week while with the U-23 who were participating in the COSAFA Cup tournament in Durban.

The 2019 AFCON, which is the first to feature 24 teams, will be held in six venues in Egypt, between June 21 and July 19.

South Africa Afcon squad:

Goalkeepers: Darren Keet (Bidvest Wits), Ronwen Williams (SuperSport United), Bruce Bvuma (Kaizer Chiefs).

Defenders: Daniel Cardoso (Chiefs), Ramahlwe Mphahlele (Chiefs), Thulani Hlatshwayo (Wits), Innocent Maela (Orlando Pirates) S’fiso Hlanti (Wits), Buhle Mkhwanazi (Wits), Thamsanqa Mkhize (Cape Town City FC).

Midfielders: Bongani Zungu (Amiens SC), Dean Furman (SuperSport), Kamohelo Mokotjo (Brentford FC), Tiyani Mabunda (Sundowns), Thulani Serero (SBV Vitesse), Thembinkosi Lorch (Pirates), Themba Zwane (Sundowns), Hlompho Kekana (Sundowns).

Strikers: Lebo Mothiba (Strasbourg), Percy Tau (Royal Union Saint Gilloise), Lars Veldwijk (Sparta), Lebogang Maboe (Sundowns), Sibusiso Vilakazi (Sundowns).