Thulani Serero has finally been recalled to the Bafana Bafana squad for the 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifier against Burkina Faso next month.
The Ajax Amsterdam midfielder has been in and out of the national team during the Shakes Mashaba reign despite being one of the most creative attacking players in the country.
The 26-year-old former Ajax Cape Town star didn’t feature for Bafana in their most recent matches against Mauritania and Egypt earlier this month, and has had a tough time of it at his Dutch club too.
It has been reported that Serero wasn’t handed a jersey number by Ajax Amsterdam for the new season, and that they tried to sell him to another club, but no one took up the offer.
So Serero will hope to rekindle his former glory with Bafana when they travel to Ouagadougou to face the Burkinabe on October 8 (8pm SA time kickoff), whereafter they will take on Ghana in a friendly at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium on Tuesday, October 11 (7pm kickoff).
Two other overseas-based midfielders, Ayanda Patosi (Lokeren FC in Belgium) and May Mahlangu (Dinamo Bucuresti in Romania) have also been called up by Mashaba alongside Mamelodi Sundowns stars Keagan Dolly and Hlompho Kekana.
Mashaba brought back Orlando Pirates defender Thabo Matlaba as well, and there are two new faces in the strike-force in Wits target-man Eleazar Rodgers and Polokwane City’s Thobani Mncwango.
Mandla Masango, Gift Motupa and Clayton Daniels miss out on selection this time, while Andile Jali is currently injured.
Bafana Bafana Squad
Goalkeepers: Itumeleng Khune (captain), Jackson Mabokgwane, Brighton Mhlongo.
Defenders: Abbubaker Mobara, Eric Mathoho, Rivaldo Coetzee, Tebogo Lagerman, Ramahlwe Mphahlele, Thulani Hlatshwayo, Thabo Matlaba, Diamond Thopola.
Midfielders: May Mahlangu, Thulani Serero, Oupa Manyisa, Ayanda Patosi, Dean Furman, Hlompho Kekana, Mpho Makola, Keagan Dolly, Aubrey Modiba.
Strikers: Eleazar Rodgers, Tokelo Rantie, Thamsanqa Gabuza, Sibusiso Vilakazi, Thobani Mncwango.
@ashfakmohamed
Independent Media