adminSOUTH AFRICA coach Shakes Mashaba has named his 20-man selection for the 2016 COSAFA Castle Cup in Namibia from June 11-25. South Africa are expected to be among the favourites for the tournament and enter the competition at the quarterfinal stage when they play the winner of Group B on June 18 at the Sam Nujoma Stadium in Windhoek.
Group B contains Angola, Lesotho, Mauritius and Malawi.
Mashaba has included a number of players with previous international experience, including defenders Rivaldo Coetzee and Kwanda Mngonyama, midfielder Phumlani Ntshangase and forward Keagan Dolly.
He has included two players plying their trade in Europe – France-based striker Lebo Mothiba (Lille) and Lebogang Phiri (Brondby), who plays in Denmark.
Striker Thabiso Kutumela, who was top-scorer in the South African second-tier with Baroka FC this season having netted 18 goals, is a player to watch.
Gift Motupa from Orlando Pirates and Maphosa Modiba of Mpumnalanga Black Aces are others to keep an eye on.
A number of these players are expected to be in the South African team that will compete at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games in August.
South Africa squad:
Goalkeepers: Jody February, Reyaad Pieterse, Nkosingiphile Gumede
Defenders: Rivaldo Coetzee, Repo Malepe, Themba Sikhakhane, Tebogo Moerane, Kwanda Mngonyama, Siphesihle Stuurman
Midfielders: Tshepo Rikhotso, Abbubaker Mobara, Gift Motupa, Lebogang Phiri, Deolin Mekoa, Phumlani Ntshangase
Strikers: Maphosa Modiba, Keagan Dolly, Thabiso Kutumela, Lebo Mothiba, Judas Moseamedi
derick.khumalo