No Mbokazi or Campbell, but Mdaka names strong Amajita World Cup squad

Amajita coach Raymond Mdaka named a strong squad for the U-20 Fifa World Cup that kicks off at the end of the month, which includes the core of his continental champion side — though there are two big-name omissions due to club issues.

Club Brugge striker Shandre Campbell, who has been making waves in the Belgian top flight, and Orlando Pirates' defensive prodigy Mbekelzeli Mbokazi were major absentees from Mdaka's 21-man squad announced on Thursday.

TimesLIVE understands their clubs would not release them for the tournament.

Mbokazi, 19 — who impressed in Bafana Bafana's World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho (SA won 2-0) and Nigeria (1-1) in Bloemfontein this month, including winning man-of-the-match in the second game — was also not released by Bucs for the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in May.

Mdaka's continental champions, who beat Morocco 1-0 in the U-20 Afcon final in Cairo on May 18 to lift that trophy for South Africa for the first time, have most of their stars from that tournament in the World Cup squad.

The squad was named on the media WhatsApp group of the South African Football Association (Safa) on Thursday morning, having originally been scheduled to be announced in a press conference at SABC headquarters in Auckland Park at 12pm on Wednesday.

Amajita's Under-20 World Cup squad. (Safa)

TimesLIVE understands the delay was due to Safa and the team management needing to be sure of players' availability as local and foreign clubs were resisting releasing them.

The World Cup in Chile from September 27 to October 19 does not fall on a Fifa international date.

Among Amajita's Afcon performers who will travel to South America are Fletcher Smythe-Lowe of Estoril Praia in Portugal, who won Goalkeeper of the Tournament in Egypt.

A big presence for South Africa in Chile will be dynamic centreback Tylon Smith, who earned a transfer to Championship side Queens Park Rangers from Stellenbosch FC in July on the back of being named Player of the Tournament at the U-20 Afcon.

Mamelodi Sundowns have the most representation in the squad with five players: defenders Asekho Tiwani and Thato Sibiya and midfielders Gomolemo Kekana, Kutlwano Letlhaku and Siyabonga Mabena.

Kaizer Chiefs' skilful midfielder Mfundo Vilakazi has been released.

Siwelele FC left-back or left wing Neo Rapoo was another major performer at the Afcon and so was Cape Town City winger Shakeel April, who are both in the squad with April's clubmate Jody Ah Shene.