A new-look Bafana Bafana will run on to the field when they take on Egypt in a friendly at the Cairo International Stadium on Sunday night (9pm) with coach Pitso Mosimane set to ring wholesale changes.
Mosimane played his best possible teams during Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier wins over Guinea and Eritrea as Bafana moved to the top of Group D.
He is expected to start the match against the Pharaohs with players like Sipho Chaine, Ricardo Goss, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Fawaaz Basadien, Khulumani Ndamani, Shandre Campbell, Puso Dithejane, Tashreeq Matthews and Cassius Mailula.
The team is going to be made up mainly of players who saw little action or did not play at all against Guinea and Eritrea.
“It is a friendly game and we need to see what they are capable of at this level,” he told www.safa.com from the team’s camp in Cairo on Friday afternoon.
It is a friendly game and we need to see what they are capable of at this level.
— Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane
“So we plead for patience and support for these youngsters. The country must understand that we have played the qualifiers [against Guinea and Eritrea] and we are done.
“That is the most important thing. It is important to build for the next Fifa World Cup, and if we don’t put them in now, when are we going to see them?
“We do not have friendly games until the Africa Cup of Nations next year, so this is the only chance they have. They are breaking through and we need to see what we have in our ranks.
“Unfortunately, we have a big team [Egypt] that we have to play against on Sunday. The challenge is we have to let them [the players] swim with the sharks, but we have nothing to lose,” he said.
Mosimane also confirmed the Mamelodi Sundowns midfield duo of Bathusi Aubaas and Teboho Mokoena would not be considered due to injuries.
TimesLIVE
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