David Notoane has named his squad for South Africa Under-23’s international friendlies against Saudi Arabia including three Kaizer Chiefs first-team regulars.
Notoane is relishing the prospect of finally getting their preparations for the Tokyo Olympics underway.
Notoane names strong squad
According to the original schedule, the Olympic Games would have been a thing of the past by now but the coronavirus forced the Games of the XXXII Olympiad to be postponed.
South Africa clinched their place in the Olympic Games with a penalty shootout win over Ghana in the 2019 Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations.
Since then Notoane has had little time with the squad due to coronavirus-induced suspensions of football and the postponement of friendly matches.
Notoane has selected a squad with a handful of full internationals and will be eager to see what the players bring to the table.
Kaizer Chiefs influence
Three Kaizer Chiefs first-team regulars have made the squad in Njabulo Blom, Siyabonga Ngezana and Nkosingiphile Ngcobo with the Soweto Giants contributing the most personnel to the ‘Olympic cause’.
The coach made it clear the friendlies would be about exploring their options for the future rather than getting results.
“I am very happy that we can finally get our preparations for next year’s Olympic Games underway, after the team had been inactive for quite some time due to the Coronavirus pandemic,” Notoane told SAFA.net.
“We have roped in some new young talent and we would like to see how they will perform in the Under-23 level from junior national team ranks. Players like Njabulo Blom, Nkosingiphile Ngcobo and Sibusiso Mabiliso are players who have done extremely well in the National Under-20 set-up and are also part of first team football action in their respective clubs.
“We truly believe that these two friendly matches will give us the information that we need, as we continue with the process of identifying the right talent to work with building up to next year’s Olympics.”
Tercious Malepe (FC Minaj), Sphephelo Sithole (OS Belenenses) and Lyle Foster (Vitoria Guimaraes) will join the squad from overseas which may create issues surrounding quarantine and training.
Full South Africa Under-23 squad
MEN’S U23 NATIONAL TEAM SQUAD LIST
SAUDI ARABIA T/MENT: 9 – 17 NOVEMBER 2020
| No. | PLAYER’S NAME | CLUB |
| GOALKEEPERS: | ||
| Darren JOHNSON | Ajax Town FC (SA) | |
| Sifiso MLUNGWANA | Golden Arrows FC (SA) | |
| DEFENDERS: | ||
| Tercious MALEPE | FC Minaj (Ukraine) | |
| Katlego MOHAMME | Univ. of Pretoria FC (SA) | |
| Thabiso MONYANE | Orlando Pirates FC (SA) | |
| Njabulo BLOM | Kaizer Chiefs FC (SA) | |
| Sifiso NGOBENI | Bloemfontein Celtics FC (SA) | |
| Sibusiso MABILISO | AmaZulu FC (SA) | |
| Given MSIMANGO | TS Galaxy FC (SA) | |
| Siyabonga NGEZANA | Kaizer Chiefs FC (SA) | |
| MIDFIELDERS: | ||
| Athenkosi DLALA | Univ. of Pretoria FC (SA) | |
| Goodman MOSELE | Baroka FC (SA) | |
| Leletu SKELEM | Stellenbosch FC (SA) | |
| Kamohelo MAHLATSI | Moroka Swallows FC (SA) | |
| Shane ROBERTS | Cape Town City FC (SA) | |
| Jamie WEBBER | Supersport United FC (SA) | |
| Nkosingiphile NGCOBO | Kaizer Chiefs FC (SA) | |
| Sphephelo SITHOLE | Os Belenenses AD (Portugal) | |
| FORWARDS: | ||
| Lyle FOSTER | Vitoria Guimaraes SC (Portugal) | |
| Fagrie LAKAY | Cape Town City (SA) | |
| Zakhele LEPASA | Orlando Pirates FC (SA) | |
| Keletso MAKGALWA | Mamelodi Sundowns FC (SA) |
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