Pelembe will be hoping for a Mozambique win over Bafana Bafana as his present

Bidvest Wits star Elias Pelembe‚ better known in his own country as Dominquez‚ will lead Mozambique next week when they host Bafana Bafana in a friendly international in Maputo.

The winger‚ who has re-discovered his form with Wits this season‚ is one of eight foreign-based players in a 28-man squad named by coach Abel Xavier and also captain of the side.

Dominquez celebrates his 33rd birthday just two days before taking on Shakes Mashaba’s side.

The Mambas will play Kenya first in a friendly in Nairobi on Saturday afternoon and then host Bafana at the Zimpeto Stadium on the outskirts of the city on Tuesday‚ November 15.

The major surprise in the squad was a first call-up for 19-year-old striker Nene‚ who has just helped his club Textafrica from Chimoio win promotion back to the top flight in Mozambique.

The squad includes winger Telinho‚ who had a disappointing 2013-14 season with Ajax Cape Town in the Premier Soccer League.

Striker Sonito‚ who once had trials at Kaizer Chiefs‚ is also in the squad.

Former Portugal international Abel Xavier is trying to rebuild the national team team after Mozambique failed in the 2017 African Nations Cup qualifiers and narrowly lost in the early stages of the 2018 World Cup preliminaries.

Mozambique Squad:

Goalkeepers: Guirrugo (Maxaquene)‚ Tchando (Costa do Sol)‚ Victor (Ferroviario Nacala)

Defenders: Amorim (Ferroviario Beira)‚ Bheu (Liga Desportiva)‚ Edmilson‚ Jeitoso (both Ferroviario Maputo)‚ Ronny Marcos (SV Ried‚ Austria)‚ Salomão (Ferroviario Nampula)‚ Zainadine (Tianjin Teda‚ China)

Midfielders: Clésio (Panetolikos‚ Greece)‚ Gildo (Ferroviario Beira)‚ Gito (Ferroviario Maputo)‚ Geraldo (Nacional‚ Portugal)‚ Junisse (Primeiro Agosto‚ Angola)‚ Kambala (UD Songo)‚ Lóló (Estrela Vermelha)‚ Luís (UD Songo)‚ Raúl (Ferroviario Nampula)‚ Telinho (Liga Desportiva)

Forwards: Avelino (Costa do Sol)‚ Dayo (Ferroviario Beira)‚ Dominguez (Bidvest Wits‚ South Africa)‚ Elias (Liga Desportiva)‚ Faisail (KF Teuta‚ Albania)‚ Néné (Textáfrica Chimoio)‚ Reginaldo (Luftetari‚ Albania)‚ Sonito (Liga Desportiva).

- TMG Digital