Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis has announced her 23-member squad and captain Refiloe Jane and tenacious defender Bambanani Mbane are the notable absentees.
Banyana will embark on a tour in the USA to face the number three ranked team in the world in a double header of their international friendlies later this month.
Jane and Mbane are said to be nursing injuries that they picked up during their historic run at the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup recently.
Ellis has since admitted that missing the two players will be a massive blow for her side but will give an opportunity to other players to step up and grab the opportunity with both hands.
“I think it’s huge [the absence of Jane and Mbane], they have shown the quality that they bring,” Ellis told the media at the SABC studios in Auckland Park on Wednesday.
“But I also think that the players that we selected – Tiisetso [Makhubela] has her qualities, she came in for Bambanani during that match, we brought Wendy [Shongwe] in place of Jermaine [Seoposenwe] at that time.
“Kholosa [Biyana] has also shown that she can step up, including Robyn [Moodaly] and Bongeka [Gamede] so it is all up to these players to step up, because when we bring in players, we want to make sure that we create that depth for situations like this.”
Coming in their place is Lonathemba Mhlongo of the University of Western Cape (UWC) and US based Sinoxolo Cesane, who plays for East Tennessee State.
The fixtures are scheduled for September 22 (at 01:30 SA time) at the TQL Stadium in Cincinnati and on September 24 (23:30 SA time) in Chicago at the 61 500-seater Soldier Field Stadium.
Banyana Banyana squad:
Goalkeepers: Andile Dlamini, Kaylin Swart, Kebotseng Moletsane
Defenders: Karabo Dhlamini, Fikile Magama, Lebohang Ramalepe, Tiisetso Makhubela, Noko Matlou, Bongeka Gamede, Lonathemba Mhlongo
Midfielders: Kholosa Biyana, Sinoxolo Cesane, Sibulele Holweni, Linda Motlhalo, Nomvula Kgoale, Robyn Moodaly
Forwards: Jermaine Seoposenwe, Thembi Kgatlana, Noxolo Cesane, Melinda Kgadiete, Wendy Shongwe, Hildah Magaia, Gabriela Salgado
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