Da Gama rings the changes for Angola clash
Phakamani Mahlambi, Luther Singh and Diamond Thopola will make their Bafana Bafana debut when they start against Angola in an international friendly match at Buffalo City Stadium in East London tonight.
The trio are part of the nine changes made by stand-in Bafana Bafana head coach Owen da Gama from the 3-1 victory over Guinea-Bissau in Durban on Saturday, 25 March 2017.
Defenders Erick Mathoho and Tebogo Langerman are the only survivors from the last match. Darren Keet gets the nod in goals. His last game for Bafana Bafana was the 3-1 loss to Algeria in January 2015 in the Africa Cup of Nations tournament held in Equatorial Guinea.
Langerman will continue at leftback while Thopola will occupy the rightback position. Mathoho will partner with Rivaldo Coetzee in central defence.
Andile Jali and Tiyani Mabunda pull the strings from the middle of the park where they will be assisted by u20 internationals Mahlambi and Singh.
Jali will captain the side – the second time he has done so.
He last wore the armband in January 2015 in Libreville, Gabon when Bafana Bafana defeated Mali 3-0 in a pre-tournament friendly for the
2015 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Belgium-based player has shrugged off a shoulder injury to fight his was into the starting lineup.
Upfront, Lebohang Manyama will go in search of goals alongside Percy Tau. The injured Thulani Hlatshwayo will be in the stands and will be joined by Thabo Mnyamane as only
12 players are allowed to sit on the bench.
Bafana Bafana XI vs Angola: Darren Keet (GK), Diamond Thopola, Tebogo Langerman, Erick Mathoho, Rivaldo Coetzee, Andile Jali (c), Tiyani Mabunda, Phakamani Mahlambi, Luther Singh, Lebohang Manyama, Percy Tau
Subs: Shu-aib Walters (GK), Itumeleng Khune (GK), Lorenzo Gordinho, Ramahlwe Mphahlele, Hlompo Kekana, Kamohelo Mokotjo, Dean Furman, Keagan Dolly, Themba Zwane, Thulani Serero, Lars Veldwijk, Kermit Erasmus.
Stands:
Thulani Hlatshwayo (injured), Thabo Mnyamane