National team coach Pitso Mosimane has highlighted three areas of importance in relation to the game, which has assumed greater significance with Bafana facing a crucial Nations Cup qualifier away to Niger in September.
When Mosimane named his 23-man squad for next week's match at Ellis Park, he gave three reasons why it was vital for Bafana to win:
- Victory would provide a much-needed psychological boost ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, which also include a home match against Sierra Leone.
- It would help some of his key players, who have lately been on the move, to settle into the national squad.
- It would also help Bafana climb back up the Fifa rankings after falling from 38th to 49th place over the past two months.
The coach said some of his key players had been going back and forth between South Africa and Europe in their attempts to find new clubs. Tsepo Masilela (Maccabi Haifa), Morgan Gould (Supersport United) and Katlego Mphela (Mamelodi Sundowns) have still not settled at their clubs.
Masilela, who is still contracted to the Israel league champions, is in South Africa training with Moroka Swallows to keep fit after his failed move to Leicester City.
English Championship club Crystal Palace have snubbed Gould, while Mphela could not convince Glasgow Celtic to sign him after a five-day trial.
The three players have until August 31 to sign contracts with other clubs. Some of their teammates have found new homes, with Siyabonga Sangweni moving to Orlando Pirates, and Bernard Parker and Lehlohonolo Majoro joining Kaizer Chiefs.
The coach said it was his job to support his players during the transfer period, but he would not take the match against The Stallions for granted.
"My first game against Ghana [on August 10 last year] was also just before the season started and players were still unsettled. But it's different this time because we have a crucial game coming up against Niger. This is the time we [need] to prepare," said Mosimane.
"I am happy we are now playing West African opposition ahead of our game against Niger. Burkina Faso are ranked 10 places above us and are fourth in Africa. That is the kind of test we are looking for."
Mosimane only called up one new face to the squad, Supersport United player Tebogo Langerman. He replaces Mzuvukile Tom, who travelled to Cairo with Bafana for the qualifier against Egypt in June, which Bafana drew.
Bongani Khumalo, who was part of Tottenham Hotspur's pre-season training during the Vodacom Challenge, returns to the side. Khumalo has since moved to Reading (also in the English Championship) on loan, with his last appearance for Bafana having been in a home game against Egypt in March.
"We decided we still want to keep the core of the team even though 40% of them were not available for the last match. It [appears all] the players are fit, according to the medical reports we got from the clubs," said Mosimane.
He said he would be cautious about that information in light of MTN8 matches taking place this weekend. Other changes the coach made include the drafting in of Thanduyise Khuboni, who replaces George Maluleka. The injured Davide Somma has been replaced by young Kermit Erasmus.
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