Bafana coach makes changes ahead of Afcon match

Bafana Bafana head coach Ephraim Shakes Mashaba has opted for an offensive starting XI that will take on Ghana in a crucial must-win final Group C match of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) later tonight.

Bafana Bafana will battle it out for three points against the Black Stars of Ghana in a match that will be played at Stade de Mongomo at 8pm South African time.

Mashaba has made four changes to his starting XI, on the goals; he opted for Brilliant Khuzwayo replacing Jackson Mabokgwane, who started against Senegal. This is the third goalkeeper change in the tournament as Darren Keet played against Algeria in the opening match.

Rivaldo Coetzee, who missed the battle with the Teranga Lions of Senegal due to injury, slots in at central defence in place of the injured Thulani Hlatshwayo. Coetzee himself was stretchered off in the opening match against Algeria because of a knee injury.

He will play alongside Erick Mathoho with Anele Ngcongca at right-back and Thabo Matlaba at left-back. Mashaba brought in Mandla Masango to lead the offense with the skipper Dean Furman, Andile Jali and Thuso Phala.

Upfront, Mashaba has selected the duo of Tokelo Rantie and Bongani Ndulula, the strike force that mainly did duty for him during the qualifiers.

Ndulula comes in for Sibusiso Vilakazi. This will be Ndulula and Masango’s first start in the tournament. Senegal is leading the group with four points, followed by Algeria and Ghana with three points and South Africa with only one point from a 1-1 draw against Senegal.

However, for Bafana Bafana to progress to the knock-out stages of the tournament, they should beat Ghana and expect Senegal to beat the Desert Foxes of Algeria.

Algeria will go to Malabo stadium to defeat their toughest opponents, Senegal, because they know very well that an early exit is still possible should they lose and Ghana beat Bafana Bafana.

SA XI vs Ghana: 1-Brilliant Khuzwayo (GK), 6-Anele Ngcongca, 11-Thabo Matlaba, 2-Rivaldo Coetzee, 3-Eric Mathoho, 15-Dean Furman (C), 5-Andile Jali, 7-Mandla Masango, 18-Thuso Phala, 23-Tokelo Rantie, 9-Bongani Ndulula

Substitution: 16-Darren Keet (GK), 22-Jackson Mabokgwane (GK), 21-Ayanda Gcaba, 13-Thamsanqa Sangweni, 19-Themba Zwane, 12-Reneilwe Letsholonyane, 20-Oupa Manyisa, 8-Bongani Zungu, 17-Bernard Parker, 4-Siyabonga Nhlapho, 10-Sibusiso Vilakazi, while Hlatshwayo is injured.

Source: SAnews.gov.za