Santana changes for Guinea tie

2008-09-06 18:55

Port Elizabeth - Bafana Bafana coach Joel Santana has made five changes to his squad to play Guinea in a friendly at Atteridgeville's Super Stadium on Tuesday at 18:00 from the squad that lost 1-0 against Nigerian in a heart-breaking 2010 African Nations Cup qualifier at the ERPU Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.

He has brought in two Ajax Cape Town defenders, Brett Evans and Allie Nazeer, SuperSport United's flying right wing Daine Klate, plus two strikers in Thanda Royal Zulu's Bernard Parker and Bloemfontein Celtic's Petrus Mahlatsi.

Klate has been in brilliant form for the Premier Soccer League champions in the MTN 8 competition while Parker scored both his side's goals in their shock 2-1 win in their opening Absa Premiership clash played at Loftus last Saturday night.

He has rested his captain on the day against Nigeria, Benni McCarthy of Blackburn Rovers, German-based left back Bradley Carnell and man of the match Siphiwe Tshabalala of Chiefs for the Guinea clash.

"I want to have a look at other players on the fringe of national selection in a competitive match and this game is that ideal opportunity," said Santana.

The Brazilian coach said he was bitterly disappointed after Bafana had played Nigeria off the park and ended up losing. But he added: "I was proud of the players. I could not ask more of them. We played well against Nigeria and we are on the right track. I want to keep the momentum going against Guinea as we get closer to playing in the Confederations Cup next June and the ultimate competition the 2010 World Cup."

Bafana squad:

Goalkeepers: Itumeleng (Kaizer Chiefs), Moeneeb Josephs (Orlando Pirates).

Defenders: Matthew Booth (Krylya Sovetov, Russia), Brett Evans, Allie Nazeer (both Ajax Cape Town), Siboniso Gaxa, Mbulelo Mabizela (both Mamelodi Sundowns), Bongani Khumalo (SuperSport United), Bevan Fransman (Maccabi Netanya, Israel), Innocent Mdledle (Orlando Pirates).

Midfielders: Lance Davids (Djurgardens, Sweden), Kagiso Dikgacoi (Golden Arrows), Thulasizwe Mbuyane, Teko Modise. Lebogang Mothibantwa (all Pirates), Surprise Moriri (Sundowns) Siyabonga Nkosi (Arminia Bielefeld, Germany), Daine Klate (SuperSport United), Lefa Tsutsulupa (Moroka Swallows).

Strikers: Petrus Mahlatsi (Bloemfontein Celtic), Sibusiso Zuma (Sundowns) and Bernard Parker (Thanda Royal Zulu).

- SAPA