Cup feva hits the Mother City

Cup feva has hit the Mother City big time after Ajax Cape Town rallied from a goal down to beat Supersport United 2-1 in the last few seconds of the Nedbank Cup semi-final at the Cape Town Stadium to set-up a cup final against Mamelodi Sundowns.

Ajax Cape Town fans in full voice at the Cape Town Stadium

Cape Town’s radio stations have been abuzz with the latest news from the team camps, conducting interviews with players and coaches and even predicting scores in the run-up to the final.

Word from Ikamva is that their stock of merchandise is sold-out, local fans have hired 13 buses, 17 mini-buses and a convoy of cars in order to travell to Port Elizabeth, while some fans are flying to PE from all over South Africa to support Ajax Cape Town.

Support for Ajax Cape Town has come from all over the Mother City and South Africa.

Alistair Coetzee (the WP & Stormers rugby coach), Paul Adams (the Cobra’s cricket coach), Breyton Paulse (a Springbok rugby player and TV pundit), local Radio DJ’s, television personalities and even the ardent Chiefs and Pirates fans in Cape Town have pledged their support for Ajax Cape Town.

The Urban Warriors have a decent cup pedigree having won their first major trophy in 2000, beating a much fancied Orlando Pirates 4-2 in the Rothmans Cup Final just a year after the club set down their roots at Ikamva.

Ajax Cape Town 2000 Rothmans Cup win pic – Kickoff magazine

In 2000, local football pundits wrote them off as cannon fodder for the more fancied star-studded Orlando Pirates outfit. Ajax took the field with the likes of Carlo Scott, Dominic Isaacs, Dillon Shephard, Shaun Potgieter, Shaun Olivier, Sibusiso Mzizi, Jeremy Jansen, Moeneeb Josephs and  Brett Evans.

Ajax went on to shock the local football fraternity with a resounding 4-2 win with a display of good attacking fast paced football, the goals coming from Carlo Scott (2), Brett Evans and Jeremy Jansen.

What made their cup win even more profound was the fact that many of the players in Red and White were considered too young to be playing Cup football let alone PSL football.

The Urban Warriors has continued that trend over the years producing an abundant array of football talent that has graced the “field of dreams” at every level in South Africa and on the biggest stages of European football, Steven Pienaar (Ajax Amsterdam, Tottenham Hotspur, Everton FC) and Thulani Serero (Ajax Amsterdam).

Under similar circumstances in 2007, the Urban Warriors took on the best team money could buy. They played Mamelodi Sundowns in the ABSA Cup Final at the ABSA Stadium in Durban, they had a team brimming with young talent the likes of Franklin Cale, Nhlanhla Shabalala, Thulani Hlatshwayo, Nazeer Allie, Brett Evans, Clifford Ngobeni and Bryce Moon.

The Urban Warriors gave a stunning display of football that showcased their European influences. Their a quick-passing, fast-paced attacking game plan saw the opposition run ragged over the regulation ninety-minutes. Goals by Bryce Moon and Franklin Cale sealed the game in Ajax Cape Town’s favour.

Ajax Cape Town 2008 Telkom Knockout Champions, celebrate with the trophy.

In 2008 Pirates got a second bite at the cherry when they faced Ajax Cape Town in the Telkom Knock-Out Challenge Cup Final at the Chatsworth Stadium in Durban.

The scene was set with the Johannesburg based team overflowing with the “best” football talent available in South Africa while Ajax relied on their tried and tested formula of producing their own talent.

The Urban Warriors took the field with players who came through their youth system, Sameehg Doutie, Nazeer Allie, Granwald Scott, Franklin Cale, Nhlanhla Shabalala, Thulani Hlatshwayo, Clayton Daniels, Clifford Ngobeni, Mkhanyiseli Siwahla and Andre Petim to name a few. Petim was drafted into the starting line-up after their number one Sean Roberts was injured in the run-up to the final.

The Urban Warriors withstood a late onslaught to beat Pirates with a brace of goals coming from the boots of Mabhudi Khenyeza.

Without sounding monotonous the stage is once again set for a momentous cup final, once again the Urban Warriors face a team assembled at great cost, once again the odds are not in their favour as the local pundits cast their votes in Sundowns favour.

Once again Ajax Cape Town can take the field with talent scouted from across South Africa and nurtured at Ikamva, Abbubaker Mobara, Rivaldo Coetzee, Cecil Lolo, Musa Lebusa, Nazeer Allie, Granwald Scott, Riyaad Norodien, Bantu Mzwakali, Tashreeq Morris, Franklin Cale, Jody February, Brandon Petersen, Toriq Losper, Yagan Sasman and captain Travis Graham.

Also in this team areplayers who won PSL silverware in the Red and White jersey Dominic Isaacs, Franklin Cale, Aidan Jenniker, Granwald Scott, Nazeer Allie and Nathan Paulse.

2014 Metropolitan Premier Cup Champions Ajax Cape Town.

One would think that playing in a major cup final would be unsettling for the youngsters but they have won trophies at home and abroad throughout their time in the Ajax youth academy.

Now you may say but that’s not the same as winning a major trophy in the PSL, well when you consider the bulk of this young side have won the U17 Engen Knockout Challenge 3 years in a row, the Metropolitan Premier Cup two years in a row and top that with the Copa Amsterdam title in 2013.

The Copa Amsterdam is the biggest U19 tournament in Europe and the young Ajax team had to overcome the likes of Borussia Mönchengladbach (Germany), Chelsea Ghana (Ghana), Men United XI (a U19 Dutch Invitational team), Cruzeiro EC (Brazil), Fluminense (Brazil) and Tottenham Hotspur (England) to win the title.

Ajax Cape Town Copa Amsterdam Champions 2013

A betting man would play a safe bet ahead of this game, however the Cape Town in Colour team is putting their money on this young Ajax side and looking at the history of Ajax’s cup pedigree it easy to see why.

Once again the game is set for a venue where Ajax Cape Town has yet to lose a Cup game.

Once again the Urban Warriors have assembled a side that has progressed via their youth ranks, once again Ajax face an expensively assembled side, once again the local football pundits are betting with their hearts not the heads.

Preparations in both camps have gone well, the teams have traveled to the “Windy City” ahead of the Cup final, the Sundowns and Ajax staff are excited at the prospect of travelling to Port Elizabeth to attend the cup-final, local fans adjourned in Red and White are set to leave the Mother City in a convoy of buses, mini-buses, and cars for the Nelson Mandela Stadium in support of their team.

All that is left is for the match official to get the game underway.

The Nelson Mandela Stadium is not going to be a place for the faint-hearted so buckle-up and be prepared for a roller-coaster ride of emotions as the player’s battle for the 2015 Nedbank Cup title.

GET CONNECTED, CAPE TOWN TOURISM’S NEW HELLO WEEKEND CAMPAIGN CONNECTS SOUTH AFRICANS TO CAPE TOWN EVERY WEEKEND

As part of Cape Town Tourism’s drive to turn Cape Town into a year round destination, Cape Town Tourism launched their brand new domestic marketing campaign at Indaba 2015 this past weekend. The campaign was quickly picked as one of international travel trend watchers Skift.com’s Best Travel Ads of the Week.

The campaign, which is called “Hello Weekend”, aims to position Cape Town as a city where there is always something on, 52 weekends a year.

Tapping into the universal truth that no matter who you are, everyone looks forward to the weekend, the campaign aims to profile the ideal weekend for potential visitors based on their weekend personality type.

Find out what sort of weekend personality you are by visiting http://helloweekend.capetown/ and taking the quiz.

“Hello Weekend” is centered on a micro-site www.helloweekend.capetown. On entering the site, visitors will have the opportunity to take a mini-quiz to find out what sort of weekend person they are and then explore recommendations on what type of weekends they may like. A series of weekly themed weekends have been created to talk to the various weekend personalities.

These include Tastescape; a weekend of sampling Cape cuisine, and Bros and Brews; a perfect solution for a bachelor weekend or a guy’s get together. Shoppers will love the Big Spender, a weekend of shopping delights – and adventurers will make a beeline for Adrenalin Rush. Collectors and Creatives can soak up the city’s art and design scene, whilst Just the Two of Us makes for a romantic escape in the Mother City. More packages include Five Star, Ready, Set, Go, Bestie’s Breakaway, Greens and Tees, Party it Up, Out in Cape Town and Making Memories.

Thompsons Holidays has created bespoke packages from R3399 (that include flights, two nights’ accommodation and car hire within South Africa) to match the weekends and to ensure that it is easy for people to get to Cape Town to experience the weekend itineraries. The campaign will initially run from 1 May-31 July 2015.

Some of the weekends are linked to events but most weekends can be experienced whenever. Visitors can ‘supersize’ their weekend by adding activities and experiences to their bucket-list.

Says Cape Town Tourism’s Executive Marketing Manager, Velma Corcoran; “Cape Town is the ultimate weekend city all year round but you’ll never do it all in one. Picking a theme is a way to showcase the choice we have on offer, by putting the visitor first. We have worked with a design agency called Infestation to present our weekend solutions in a simple, fun, friendly and shareable way. We look forward to spending the weekend with you.”

Find out what sort of weekend personality you are by visiting http://helloweekend.capetown/ and taking the quiz.

Sports fest awaits Cape fanatics this weekend

Two North/South derbies will be hosted in Cape Town this weekend, top that off with a World Triathlon Series event in and around the Green Point precinct making for a momentous fest for sports junkies.

Cape sports fanatics are in for a bumper weekend with South Africa’s rugby giants set to butt heads at Newlands Stadium while across the pond a Nedbank Cup semi-final between Ajax Cape Town and Supersport United round off the battle with the North.

The ITU World Triathlon Series event takes place in the V&A Waterfont, Green Point Precinct this weekend

Meanwhile the world’s best triathletes converge on the V&A Waterfront, Green Point Precinct where the ITU World Triathlon Series event takes place this weekend.

One-hundred and thirty of the world’s best triathletes are set to compete in a swim at the V&A Waterfront as well as a cycle and run course along the Promenade between Green Point and Sea Point.

The triathletes will be hosted at the athletes village based at the recently unveiled Green Point Athletics Track.

South Africa’s own Richard Murray, a double Commonwealth medallist has secured a top five finish in two legs of the ITU World Triathlon Series in Abu Dhabi and the Gold Coast.  In the ladies section, South Africa is represented by Vicky van der Merwe, Gillian Sanders, Anel, Radford, Carlyn Fischer and Mari Rabie.

Some of the world’s top triathletes competing in the series include Katie Zaferes (America), Alistair Brownlee (Great Britain), Gwen Jorgensen (America) and Mario Mola (Spain).

On Saturday at 19h10, the clash of the titans takes place at Newlands Rugby Stadium when the high-riding Stormers take on the Blue Bulls.

Games between these two South African rugby giants are a most contentious affair with a long history of rivalry and pride making this game the most sought after ticket on the South African rugby calendar.

The Stormers have had a bit of a wobbly start to the season however they recovered to record two significant victories on the road against the Waratahs and the Western Force down under.

Stormers talisman Schalk Burger, recently lauded for his comeback from a career threatening injury Burger has thrown caution to the wind with his performances so far this season, is set to make the starting line-up.

Leading the Stormers charge will be inspirational captain Duane Vermeulen

Leading the Stormers charge will be inspirational captain Duane Vermeulen, ably assisted by Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi and Steven Kitshoff.

This game is not for the faint hearted as both teams are known to leave it all on the field come the final whistle, it’s going to be a brutal affair with the Stormers looking to out-muscle their Northern neighbours.

Meanwhile cross the pond at the Athlone Stadium, Ajax Cape Town and Supersport United contest the semi-final of the Nedbank Cup in yet another North/South derby on Saturday evening at 20h15..

The Urban Warriors have been in good knick this season, hardly ever out of the top eight despite having the youngest squad in the PSL.

The Ajax Cape Town Youth Academy is known to provide a conveyor-belt of talented youngsters

Not many football fans gave Ajax Cape Town any chance of success ahead of the current season, however Coach Roger De Sa and his players have proved them wrong. Astute tactical selections coupled with players willing to run their legs-off for the team has proven to be a good combination.

The Ajax Cape Town Youth Academy is known to provide a conveyor-belt of talented youngsters and the club has profited from this approach over the years.

Top of the crop has to be the talented Rivaldo Coetzee who has represented South Africa at U20 & U23 levels, winning the COSAFA Cup at just 17 years old last year, he has already attracted interest from Ajax Amsterdam as well as a number of local and international clubs.

Othe key players in the AjaxCT side are Travis Graham, Anssi Jaakkoola, Granwald Scott, Nathan Paulse, Abbubaker Mobara, Franklin Cale and Erwin Isaacs.

With a fully fit squad and home ground advantage may seem like Ajax hold all the cards however Supersport United have a few aces up their sleeves, Coach Gordon Igesund spent four years at Ikamva and he is more than familiar with the Athlone pitch as well as the Ajax approach to the game.

Couple that with Cape born players the likes of Ryan Chapman and Clayton Daniels in the United side, Daniels grew up at Ikamva while Chapman cut his football teeth at rivals Santos. Also in the United blue are Thato Mokeke, Bradley Grobler and  Lebo Manyama, all former Ajax players keen to make a winning appearance in Cape Town

United’s Kiwi striker Jeremy Brockie settled into the team like a duck to water, he has scored in virtually every game he played in a United shirt and he will be looking to continue that trend come Saturday evening.

With the ABSA League Championship already decided, all eyes will be on who comes out tops in the last Cup competition of the season.

Come Saturday evening, all friendships will be left on the touchline whether it be at Newlands or the Athlone Stadium as the players battle for glory on the pitch.

All roads leads to Cape Town

The Easter weekend is jam packed with a number of events, especially if you are in Cape Town.

One Direction fans packed the Cape Town Stadium on Wednesday evening while football fanatics made their way to Erica park, Belhar for the 27^th edition of the Metropolitan Premier Cup add to that all the events around the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon like the Friendship Run, the Trail Run, the Half Marathon, Ultra Marathon and the Expo.

pic – http://www.twooceansmarathon.org.za

One has to consider that Capetonians are still reeling from being blown away by the stellar line-up of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival.

These events are all happening right here in Cape Town this weekend, and that’s not all… also on this weekend is the Stellenbosch Slow Market – Oude Libertas Amphitheatre, the Baxter & Artscape Theatre’s and the Cape Town Comedy Club have a full program of great entertainment, while the Kirstenbosch Summer Concerts presents Jeremy Loops at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.

Madame Zingara’s First Annual Easter Egg Hunt in the Company’s Gardens will entertain young and old alike, but if you prefer searching for your Easter eggs amongst live bunnies the Noordhoek Easter Egg Hunt takes place at the Noordhoek farm.

Moonlightmass riders under the Green Point circle.

For the night birds of the Mother City there is the Moonlight Mass, a bicycle night ride taking place on a full moon on Saturday April 04, starting under the Green Point circle at 9pm Cape Town.

Confessions at Calvary in Saldahna

Also right up there are a number of Easter plays taking place across the Peninsula, top of the list is the Emmanuel Players “Confessions at Calvary”, a performance that tells the Easter story in vivid detail with all the roles played by amateur performers. This play has run over the Easter weekend for the last fourteen years, travelling across the Western Cape to much acclaim.

“Confessions at Calvary” will be presented at the West Coast Outreach Centre in Saldanha on Friday 03 and Saturday 04, both shows start at 19h00.

Still to come is the acclaimed “Tribute to Whitney Houston” at the Artscape Theatre and Whitney fans will be keen to note that Belinda Davids stars in the lead role, Davids received rave reviews for her portrayal of the Diva matching the megastar’s vocal performance, this is a must see.

The Cape is the place to be and it’s no wonder that the influx of visitors arrive in their droves hoping to catch one of the many events taking place in Cape Town this weekend.

So where ever you find yourself in the Cape this weekend remember to buckle up, drive safely and arrive alive.

It’s all happening in Cape Town

It’s going to be a busy weekend for Capetonians with a number of events in the City to keep them busy.

An influx of visitors from all over is expected to descend on the Mother City from Thursday evening.

The happiest 5km on the Planet.

Saturday kicks off with a bang when the Color Run gets underway at the Green Point Promenade, with more than 2 500 runners set to take part in this event billed as the “Happiest 5km on the Planet”.

Its party atmosphere has captured the imagination of people worldwide.

Hours later the Hindu Community of Cape Town celebrates the Festival of Diwali (also known as Deepavali) with at a grand gathering at the Green Point Urban Park. The celebrations start with a performance by Afternoon Ragas, followed by a spectacular stage production telling the story of the history of the Hindu culture through traditional dance and song.

Later in the day some Bollywood beats by the Bhangra Knights will entertain festival goers.

An Eastern Food Market is set to feed the hungry with traditional Hindu fare, also available are Indian fabric, jewellery and a wide selection of imported spices.

Kids are especially welcome; they have a special area dedicated for kiddies’ fun and games.

For the sport fanatics, there is football, rugby and cricket.

WP captain Juan de Jongh celebrating Gangnam style

On Saturday afternoon Cape Town’s beloved “Streeptruie” take on the Blue Bulls in a South/North battle for a place in the final of the Currie Cup.

The Newlands/Claremont area will be besieged by rugby fans from as far as Loftus while their local counterparts travel into town from the Boland and the West Coast to catch the action live at a packed Newlands Stadium, kick off is at 17h00.

Allistair Coetzee the Province coach has had to make some tough decisions with regards to his line-up and only a win will satisfy the Province faithful.

WP captain Juan de Jongh is well supported with the return of a number of Springboks. Top of that list is the Springbok captain Jean de Villiers, who recently led the national team to a famous victory over the All Blacks.

Province will revel in the atmosphere at Newlands Stadium as the Newlands faithful is most likely to pack the Cape landmark in their numbers to support their team.

On Sunday another South/North battle kicks-off at the Cape Town Stadium with a top of the table clash between Ajax Cape Town and Kaizer Chiefs.

The battle of supremacy in the PSL has been a two-horse race until now and on Sunday its “Winner Takes All” for both teams.

Chiefs have dominated proceedings in the PSL so far but the Urban Warriors are said to “Skrik for Niks” with the youngsters reveling in the spotlight of PSL football.

Rivaldo Coetzee in action at the 2013 U17 Engen Knockout Challenge

Who can blame them especially when the Bafana’s youngest ever debutant, Rivaldo Coetzee is a starting defender in your line-up and the team captain, Travis Graham is an “old professional” at only 21 years old.

So the scene is set for a battle royal with ardent football fans from both camps set to invade Cape Town Stadium in numbers.

Meanwhile the picturesque Paarl Valley is hosting the Cape Cobras host the Highveld Lions in the limited-over 1-Day Cup (10am start). Its early days yet however Paul Adams and his team would like to get their campaign off to a winning start.

There is no space for the faint-hearted in Cape Town this weekend, whether it’s the Color Run, the Festival of Dewali or the action of the Rugby, Football or Cricket, it’s all happening here and as we say “Ons Skrik vir Niks” (Nothing frightens us).

17 year-old Manenberg youngster selected for the Bafana squad

Shakes Mashaba continues to “shake-up” South African football with his selection of youngsters for Bafana Bafana team.

In his first squad of players he included a number of youngsters from the national U20 & U23 teams, the likes of Ayabulela Magqwaka Nhlakanipho Ntuli, Rivaldo Coetzee, Dumisani Msibi, and Siyanda Ngubo, as well as Kegan Dolly, Ayanda Patosi and David Zulu.

Bafana won their first game against Sudan with a convincing 3-0 margin and performed admirably in the 0-0 draw against Nigeria at the Cape Town Stadium in the second game.

The Bafana coach continues his drive to inject fresh blood into the Bafana team with the inclusion a 17 year-old young striker, Fagrie Lakay in his squad to face Congo in Pointe Noire on October 11, 2014 and then again in Polokwane four days later.

The move is a brave one but the coach knows the youngster well, so well that he included the youngster in his U23 COSAFA Cup Championship team and Fagrie did not disappoint.

This youngster from Manenberg is special; everyone who has worked with him and those who have seen him play will tell you the same story; he is determined, hard-working and has an eye for goal.

Fagrie Lakay in action for Santos at the Metropolitan Premier Cup this year

Fagrie was promoted to senior football two years ago at 15 years old in 2012 when the Santos coach Mart Nooij included him in his NFD squad. He has since gone on to score crucial goals at club and national levels.

Lakay was at school when the news broke and well-wishes poured in from all quarters to the delight of his family, class-mates and teachers.

In an interview with a local newspaper Fagrie said, “It’s unbelievable to think that here I am working hard in my matric year, balancing school work with club football and now I have been selected for the Bafana team.  It’s a proud moment for my family as well as my community and I am keen to make the most of my opportunity.”

The full Bafana squad for the games against Congo is;

Goalkeepers: Senzo Meyiwa, Darren Keet, Dumisani Msibi.

Defenders: Anele Ngcongca, Ayabulela Magqwaka, Sibusiso Khumalo, Thulani Hlatshwayo, Mulomowandau Mathoho, Thabo Matlaba, Rivaldo Coetzee, Kwanda Mngonyama, Tefu Mashamaite.

Midfielders: Themba Zwane, Sibusiso Vilakazi, Oupa Manyisa, Andile Jali, Dean Furman, Mandla Masango, Keagan Dolly, Thulani Serero, Reneilwe Letsholonyane.

Strikers: Bongani Ndulula, Tokelo Rantie, David Zulu, Kermit Erasmus, Fagrie Lakay.

Mashaba’s “Rivaldolution”

New Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba made a bold decision by selecting a number of  new faces in his squad to play Sudan and Nigeria in the opening games of the AFCON Morocco 2015 qualifiers.

Three Cape Town based players were included in Shakes Mashaba’s new look squad; they are Rivaldo Coetzee, Keagan Dolly and Ayabulela Magqwaka .

Another Capetonian, Ayanda Patosi also made the squad.

The inclusion of the AjaxCT trio has raised eyebrows, not because they are from Cape Town but for the fact that they are the brightest young talents in local football. Rivaldo, Ayabulela and Keagan are 17, 18 and 21 years old respectively.

Rivaldo Coetzee and Ayabulela Magqwaka in Ajax Cape Town’s colours in a practice game against Zimbabwe at Ikamva last season.

Top of that list is Rivaldo Coetzee, a 17 year-old youngster who has set the PSL alight with his commanding displays in the centre of defence for Ajax Cape Town.

Coetzee’s rise in South African football has been nothing but phenomenal, the youngster from Kakamas was playing in his home town a few years ago and spotted by Ajax scouts at a national tournament.

This year he led Ajax Cape Town to the 2014 U19 Metropolitan Premier Cup Championship and is a starting centre-back in the PSL team currently in second place on the PSL standings.

That Coetzee is destined for the bigger stage is a certainty, especially as Ajax Amsterdam has already laid claim to the player after a successful trial in January. The Dutch giants were impressed by his talent, so much that Head Coach Frank de Boer took interest in his training sessions (not a normal situation at Die Toekomst).

Coetzee’s central defensive partner at in the Ajax Cape Town U19 team and in the U23 national team, Ayanda Magqwaka was also selected for the Bafana national team. Mashaba knows Ayanda well, as the Ajax youngster captained Mashaba’s team to the COSAFA Championship last year.

The 18 year-old defies his age when the ball is at his feet, showing a football maturity beyond his years. Tactically and technically astute, he has risen above his counter-parts to captain Mashaba’s teams at U20 and U23 levels.

Coetzee and Magqwaka were teammates in the Ajax Cape Town teams that won the 2013/2014 U17 Engen Knock-Out Challenge, Metropolitan Premier Cup and the 2013 Copa Amsterdam.

The third Ajax Cape Town player in the Bafana squad is Keagan Dolly.

Dolly is an adopted Capetonian who arrived from Sundowns in 2010 after a successful Metropolitan Premier Cup tournament. Like Steven Pienaar, the Ajax midfield star also hails from Westbury and is destined to follow his footsteps after winning the PSL Young Player of the Year last season. Dolly has been a regular in the AjaxCT PSL team for the last three years.

The local trio has captured the imagination of South African football and their inclusion in the Bafana squad has heightened the expectation to be included in the squad to take the field on Wednesday.

Kick-off for the Bafana Bafana v Nigeria game tonight is at 20h00 and tickets are available at all Shoprite Checkers and Computicket outlets.

 

Bafana play Nigeria at Cape Town Stadium

Local football fans are set to flock to the Cape Town Stadium on Wednesday evening for the rare occasion when Bafana Bafana plays in the Mother City.

Fresh from their 3-0 victory over Sudan in the 2015 AFCON Morocco qualifier, Bafana is looking to continue their winning form when they take on Nigeria in a crucial Group A encounter.

The African champions arrived at the Cape Town International Airport this morning while their South African counter-parts arrived on Saturday and played a practice game against Santos on Sunday.

The new coach of Bafana named a youthful team for Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and certainly shook the foundations of the establishment by including a number of uncapped players in his team.

The new coach, Shakes Mashaba excluded a number of established Bafana stars from his squad, much to the dismay of the local football fraternity.

The likes of Bryce Moon, Vuyo Mere, Happy Jele, Simphiwe Shabalala, Rooi Mahamutsa, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Thulani Serero and Kagisho Dikgacoi was excluded from the squad.

Ayabulela Magqwaka, captain of the South African U23 team has been included in the senior squad for the 2015 AFCON Morocco qualifiers squad

Mashaba, looking to the future included the a number of players from his COSAFA Cup Championship side in Ayabulela Magqwaka Nhlakanipho Ntuli, Rivaldo Coetzee, Dumisani Msibi, and Siyanda Ngubo, as well as Kegan Dolly, Ayanda Patosi, David Zulu have all made the new-look squad.

It’s exciting times for South African football as Shakes Mashaba looks to the future by selecting the cream of local talent to make their debut under his watch.

Local fans are expected to turn-up in their numbers to see the future of South African football as well as their local stars don the Bafana jersey in their home Stadium.

South Africa squad: Goalkeepers: Senzo Meyiwa, Dumisani Msibi. Defenders: Anele Ngcongca, Ayabulela Magqwaka, Sibusiso Khumalo, Thulani Hlatshwayo, Buhlebuyeza Mkhwanazi, Erick Mathoho, Thabo Matlaba, Rivaldo Coetzee, Ramahlwe Mphahlele. Midfielders: Themba Zwane, Sibusiso Vilakazi, Oupa Manyisa, Andile Jali, Dean Furman, Ayanda Patosi, Mandla Masango, Keagan Dolly, Kamohelo Mokotjo. Strikers: Tokelo Rantie, Bongani Ndulula, Bonginkosi Ntuli, David Zulu.

Tickets for this game are available from all Shoprite Checkers and Computicket outlets, the game kicks off at 20h00 on Wednesday 10 September, 2014.