Bafana Bafana set to miss out on red hot striker to Zimbabwe?

Having clinched qualification for the 2023 AFCON, Bafana Bafana’s focus will now temporarily switch to the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers

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Hugo Broos will want the best players available to be apart of his Bafana Bafana squad, but one striker in Ranga Chivaviro could be lining up for opponents Zimbabwe!

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Bafana Bafana were already set to face Zimbabwe in their group for the AFCON qualifiers, but their FIFA ban saw them kicked out of the qualification campaign. Many will recall that, Broos’ men had already been in a group with their neighbours during the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, which shows that the two Southern African sides cannot seem to avoid each other at the moment. One person who may soon have to make a decision he can no longer avoid is Chivaviro.

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Already with a hot streak of 17 goals in all competitions for the now relegated Marumo Gallants, Chivaviro already had to make the tough call between signing for Kaizer Chiefs or Orlando Pirates. With both teams having bids accepted for him, he ended up following his heart and signing for his boyhood club Chiefs. Now with that type of form, you would at least expect him to make a Bafana Bafana preliminary squad, for that final dead rubber qualifier against Morocco, especially with talisman Lyle Foster not included.

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In the end, the only Bafana Bafana preliminary squad Chivaviro made, was the COSAFA Cup one. Even there, he mysteriously did not make the final squad, but that could’ve come at the request of Chiefs, who would’ve wanted him to adapt to the club and his new teammates. Now, that seems like it may just be a decision that comes back to bite South Africa, as Chivaviro is also able to represent Zimbabwe due to his father’s nationality.

CHIVAVIRO TO CHOOSE ZIMBABWE OVER SOUTH AFRICA?

Chivaviro was born in South Africa to a South African mother and has always expressed a desire to represent Bafana Bafana. But in a recent interview he confirmed that the Zimbabwean FA had been calling him trying to convince him to play for them. He said that he doesn’t have the correct papers yet but is not opposed to playing for the country. Now at the age of 29 and still being overlooked by Broos, and Zimbabwe looking to make a charge for their first ever World Cup, they could see an In form Chivaviro as the perfect player to lead their attack and it could be too tempting for him to turn down. It could be even sweeter for him if he would score against his birth country en route to World Cup qualification.