Prince Nxumalo is likely to be a tad distracted when he arrives at the Ajax Cape Town training ground this morning. While the striker is focused on Ajax’s upcoming PSL fixture against Platinum Stars at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg on Sunday afternoon (kick-off 3.30pm), he will, no doubt, be just as interested in today’s announcement of the Bafana Bafana squad.
South Africa take on Cameroon in back-to-back qualifying games for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to be hosted by Gabon. The first match against the group leaders is away in Limbe, Cameroon, at Stade Omnisport on Saturday, March 26, with the return leg on Tuesday, March 29 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
With Bafana’s qualification for the event hanging by a thread, and the fact that they have scored just one goal in the campaign to date, the selection of the bang-in-form Nxumalo could be just the tonic the national team needs to change their fortunes in attack.
Currently, Bafana are languishing in last position on the qualifying group standings, with Cameroon, Mauritania and Gambia ahead of them. If there is to be any hope of going to Gabon next year, then Bafana are going to have to beat Cameroon… (and that is definitely not an easy task).
Nxumalo has been in sensational scoring form for Ajax in recent weeks. The 25-year-old has increased his goal tally to 11, closed in on the PSL’s leading marksman, Collins Mbesuma of Mpumalanga Black Aces and he’s in the running for the Golden Boot award come the end of the season.
The Ajax striker has been on the Bafana radar before. In fact, he was called up for the tour of Central America last year, but had to withdraw because of the problems he was experiencing with regard to epilepsy. But now that everything is under control, he’s battled back bravely and, surely, he deserves another opportunity with Bafana.
Nxumalo, though, wasn’t prepared to get carried away.
“If I’m picked, I’ll be very happy. But I’m trying not to think about it too much, it’s not up to me,” said Nxumalo. “After what I’ve been through, I’m just glad to be playing again. It was tough, but I was helped by my family and the club.”
And, just to strengthen Nxumalo’s chances of Bafana selection today, it’s also worth noting that regular national striker – Bournemouth’s Tokelo Rantie – is recovering from injury and not likely to be available.
Ajax coach Roger de Sa has been impressed with Nxumalo and would definitely love to see his player get a call-up. “Prince is a real quality striker and his goals aren’t simple tap-ins, they are sometimes fantastic individual efforts,” said De Sa. “If you look at how he has performed over the last few weeks and, just a few months ago, he was in a hospital bed not sure whether he would play again, I think Prince has done brilliantly.”
In addition to Bafana’s attack, head coach Shakes Mashaba has a few other vital calls to make. The goalkeeping department will be a head-scratcher for Mashaba. The regular number one, Itumeleng Khune of Kaizer Chiefs, has been injured for quite a while. There was, however, a possibility that the charismatic keeper would return against Platinum last night… Even so, there has to be some question marks about how match-ready he is, especially for crucial fixtures against top opposition like Cameroon.
The other two goalkeepers often picked by Mashaba – Brilliant Khuzwayo and Jackson Mabokgwane – are both playing second fiddle at their clubs. Mabokgwane is on the bench for Mpumalanga Black Aces, while Shua-Aib Walters dons the number one jersey. And, with Khune’s injury-enforced absence at Chiefs, Khuzwayo still had to sit on the sidelines watching, while Reyaad Pieterse did duty in goal.
The two form goalkeepers are Capetonians Moeneeb Josephs and Darren Keet – but it’s doubtful that either will be called up. Mitchells Plain’s Josephs, now 35 years old and still performing as sprightly as ever for title-chasing Wits, has however, said he is no longer interested in playing for Bafana. The on-the-record comment, according to Josephs, is that he’s had his era in the national team and that it’s time for new, young goalkeepers to be given an opportunity. But, deep down, he’s probably still angry that he, alone, was made the scapegoat after Bafana’s embarrassing exit from the 2014 African Nations Championship.
Bothasig’s Keet has been in tremendous form for Belgium side, KV Kortrijk. At the weekend, the 26-year-old was in the Pro League’s team of the week. But he, too, is far from happy with the manner in which the Bafana selectors have treated him in the past.
With this scenario, expect a call-up for Orlando Pirates goalkeeper, Brighton Mhlongo.
Elsewhere, the injuries to midfielders Bongani Zungu and Sibusiso Vilakazi are a major blow for Mashaba.
Zungu, who is out for the rest of the season, has been an integral part of the Bafana team. His loss will be felt.
However, it offers opportunities to others, which is good news for FC Twente’s Kamohelo Mokotjo. Even though he has been performing well in the Dutch Eredivisie for the last few years, he hasn’t got much of a look-in at Bafana. Zungu’s absence paves the way for Mokotjo to show what he can do, while Sundowns’ Hlompho Kekana will also come into the reckoning.
Bafana’s qualifying group
P W D L F A Pts
Cameroon 2 2 0 0 2 0 6
Mauritania 2 1 0 3 2 2 3
Gambia 2 0 1 0 1 1 1
South Africa 2 0 1 1 1 3 1
PSL fixtures
Tomorrow: Maritzburg Utd v Golden Arrows
Saturday: MP Black Aces v University of Pretoria; Orlando Pirates v Jomo Cosmos
Sunday: Platinum Stars v Ajax Cape Town (Royal Bafokeng Stadium, 3.30pm); Bloemfontein Celtic v Free State Stars - Cape Argus