Phala is Shakes' trump card

Gordon Igesund was ridiculed for calling Thuso Phala the ace up his sleeve for the Africa Cup of Nations tournament in 2013. But two years later it appears the former Bafana Bafana coach knew what he was talking about.

Phala's game-changing speed and, recently, penetrative low crosses into the danger area could make him an unlikely trump-card for Shakes Mashaba in Equatorial Guinea.

Ironically, Mashaba has Igesund, the man he replaced in the Bafana hot seat mid-last year, to thank for opening his eyes to what the 28-year-old can do.

The Supersport United right winger never featured in any of the six Afcon qualifiers in the lead-up to this year's showpiece and to some it was accepted that he had been swept aside along with the "old Bafana" during Mashaba's clearout.

But when Igesund arrived at Supersport, he took the limiter off the speedster and Phala responded like a racing car that had long been revving its engine, waiting for the green light on the starting grid.

As national team coach, Igesund only had a few days to influence players. But his appointment at Matsatsanta allowed him to sink his teeth into Phala and a few others like Lebogang Manyama and Dino Ndlovu.

Igesund got them playing fluidly and with the strict purpose of getting dangerous balls into their opponents' six-yard box. It was a blueprint tailor-made for Phala.

There was no better illustration of this than when he swept a low ball across the billiard table for Dove Wome to poke in the second goal of a 2-0 win over Orlando Pirates in the Telkom Knockout semifinal. And he did so with his weaker left foot.

If you're still not convinced, look at Phala's injury-time winner in the Telkom Knockout final against Platinum Stars - an outside-of-the-foot bender worthy of winning any competition.

"Thuso has done tremendously well to earn his place in that squad," said Igesund, who gave Phala his senior international debut against Zambia in 2012.

"He thoroughly deserves his position and he scored a wonderful winning goal in the [Telkom Knockout] final.

"He has got pace and power and is able to get past defenders. He can also deliver some quality crosses.

"He did well for us [Bafana] last time around when we made the quarterfinals, and let's hope he does the same again."

It is no coincidence that Bafana have blazed in the second half of their previous warm-up games against Zambia and Cameroon. Phala - and Sibusiso Vilakazi - have added the firelighters and coal from the bench to revive the braai flame.

It means Mashaba has the option of having two Tokelo Ranties on the park if he wishes, or replace the Bournemouth forward with Phala without losing pace at the sharp end.

Phala might not be a direct solution to Bafana's chronic goal- scoring ailments, but with his improved eye for crossing and finishing, he could forge new paths when the team is met with roadblocks during the tournament.

"He is very motivated at the moment," Igesund added.

"He always wants to play and do well for the club. Of course once you start doing well for the club you're going to be recognised for the national team. He will add value to the team as a winger."