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MHLONGO CALLED UP FOR SOUTH AFRICA
Midfielder Benson Mhlongo has been recalled to South Africa’s squad after a long-standing injury for the vital World Cup qualifier away in Burkina Faso next month, plus a friendly against Germany in Bremen four days later.
Coach Stuart Baxter on Wednesday named a 24-man squad including all the players who competed in a 4-1 loss to Iceland in a friendly international last week.
South Africa must win in Ouagadougou to have any chance of qualifying for the World Cup finals in Germany.
Mhlongo fills in the midfield gap left by the injury to Manchester United’s Quinton Fortune and the suspension of Benedict Vilakazi after the accumulation of two yellow cards.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Rowen Fernandez (Kaizer Chiefs), Calvin Marlin (SuperSport United), Hans Vonk (Ajax Amsterdam, Netherlands)
Defenders: Siboniso Gaxa, Ricardo Katza (both (SuperSport United), Lucky Lekgwathi (Orlando Pirates), Mbulelo Mabizela (Valerenga, Norway), Aaron Mokoena (Blackburn Rovers, England), Nasief Morris (Panathinaikos, Greece), Thabiso Rammile (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Midfielders: Delron Buckley (Borussia Dortmund, Germany), Phil Evans (SuperSport United), Benson Mhlongo (Mamelodi Sundowns), Siyabonga Nkosi (Bloemfontein Celtic), Siyabonga Nomvete (Udinese, Italy), Steven Pienaar (Ajax Amsterdam, Netherlands), Elrio van Heerden (FC Copenhagen, Denmark), Sibusiso Zuma (Arminia Bielefeld, Germany), Arthur Zwane (Kaizer Chiefs)
Strikers: Shaun Bartlett (Charlton Athletic, England), Lerato Chabangu (Mamelodi Sundowns), Benni McCarthy (FC Porto, Portugal), Katlego Mphela (Reims, France), Lungisani Ndlela (SuperSport United).