Bafana Bafana are set for back-to-back international friendly games against Tanzania and Mozambique, respectively.
They will start with Taifa Stars at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on June 6, before facing Os Mambas four days later at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Tshwane. Coach Hugo Broos will use the two games to gauge a few players ahead of the competitive games later in the year.
In the absence of Mamelodi Sundowns players, the Belgian included several fringe players. However, there were notable absentees like former Kaizer Chiefs defender Siyabonga Ngezana who recently won the Romanian League with FCSB.
He was included in the preliminary squad, but wasn't part of the final 23-man team that will be in action.
Why was Ngezana dropped?
“I know Ngezana is not there, Percy [Tau] is not there, Lyle Foster is not there, why? Because I know them,” he stated.
“I don’t have to see him playing, and when I should call those players, they should take the place of one of the youngsters. So, I shouldn’t have the opportunity to give the youngsters playtime. Therefore, we left them at home. I called them, I said, look, and with Percy, with Lyle, they are already on holiday from the beginning of May.
“So, they are a month of holiday and maybe they train, but it’s not the same if you have to train on your own. So, I think it was a good opportunity to let them be home. Ngezana was injured, so he couldn’t come. [Evidence] Makgopa was injured and couldn’t come but it suits me a little bit.
“So, I didn’t have to select them, and I could give the opportunity to other younger players to play,” Broos concluded.
