Impressive Saleng and Timm make the Bafana final cut

Impressive Saleng and Timm make the Bafana final cut

Orlando Pirates on form duo of Monnapule Saleng and Miguel Timm have made the final cut of Bafana Bafana™s 23-man squad to play Mozambique and Angola in international friendlies in Mbombela this month.

Announcing the squad today from the SABC studios, Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has kept the bulk of the team that won back-to-back international friendly matches against Sierra Leone and Botswana in the last international week in September.

Saleng has been on song since he made his debut at Orlando Pirates on the 1st of October against Mamelodi Sundowns in the MTN8 first-leg semi-final at Orlando stadium. He has now played a total of eight matches, scoring five goals and providing an assist in one of the matches.

Three of these goals were scored in the MTN8, where he™s a leading contender for Player of the Tournament after together with Timm they helped the Buccaneers to lift the trophy after beating AmaZulu 1-0 in the final this past weekend.

âš½ 𝐁ðÃ°…ðÃ°Ã° 𝐁ðÃ°…ðÃ°Ã° 𝐒𝐐𝐔ðÃ°ƒ ðÃ°Ã°Ã°ŽÃ°”𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍ð- ⚽️Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has announced his squad for the international friendly matches against Mozambique & Angola. #SABCSportFootball pic.twitter.com/tfBn4bqFIC— SABC Sport (@SABC_Sport) November 8, 2022

Saleng is no stranger to Bafana, having been part of the team that won the COSAFA Cup in Gqeberha last year that Broos had also monitored.

Timm, who joined Pirates during the off-season after leaving Marumo Gallants, has been a huge difference in the heart of the midfield for Bucs. His absence in the Soweto derby due to match suspension was telling and so was his presence in the final and his selection in the midfield alongside the return of Kaizer Chiefs™ on-form talent Njabulo Blom.

Mamelodi Sundowns™ Grant Kekana also returns to the team in the absence of the injured Pirates duo of Nkosinathi œBhodlela Sibisi and Innocent Maela.

Upfront Egyptian-based striker Fagrie Lakay who missed the previous camp due to an injury is back in the team and he has already played four matches this season for Pyramids.

The notable omissions from the previous squad include Sundowns™ Khuliso Mudau, who has since been replaced by his teammate Thapelo Morena right-back. Sibongiseni Mthethwa and Goodman Mosele, who make way for Timm and Blom in the midfield.

Broos is continuing with preparations for the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, which will resume in March 2023 with back-to-back matches against Liberia.

Bafana play the first game against Mozambique on Thursday 17 November (20:30) and the second game against Angola three days later. Both matches will be live on SABC Sport TV and radio stations.

By Velile Mnyandu