Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos says ex-Kaizer Chiefs star Siyabonga Ngezana was close to an Afcon call-up.
Ngezana called up for Bafana Bafana
FCSB defender Siyabonga Ngezana is in the Bafana squad. South Africa contests friendlies against Andorra on March 21 and Algeria on March 26. Broos says 26-year-old Ngezana could be the long-term replacement for 32-year-old SuperSport star Siyanda Xulu. Ngezana has been in supreme form for the Romanian SuperLiga leaders.
“Ngezana was a point of discussion for AFCON, whether to take him with us or not,” said Broos on Monday, as he named a 23-man squad for the two games.
“He was playing very well in Romania, but he had never been with us so in the end we didn’t make the change. Now he has again been playing very well in Romania … Siyanda (Xulu) is a certain age and we have to look also to the future. If Ngezana can give us the same level he has in Romania, we could be settled again (at centre back) for the future.”
“We are a bit in trouble with strikers at the moment. I got criticism that Mayo was not at the AFCON and I said what I said and I will repeat it, I expected more progress from Mayo,” said Broos.
(But) I think now with all the strikers we have injured – (Evidence) Makgopa, (Lebo) Mothiba and (Lyle) Foster, he will get his chance. It is up to him … to show me he has the level for Bafana.”
NGEZANA IS FLYING THE KAIZER CHIEFS FLAG
Siyabonga Ngezana has become a mainstay in the FCSB defence. Head coach Elias Charalambous has played an integral role in his settling in Bucharest. The Cypriot manager was born in South Africa and has a South African father.
“Yes I know [he is South African], I was amazed, he was the first guy who tried to make me feel at home, he shared some stories about South Africa – his father is from the Eastern Cape,” Ngezana told iDiski Times.
“No [he doesn’t speak Afrikaans], only English but some Xhosa also, he would talk to me in Xhosa and I would understand him, he was the only guy I understood much better because of his South African roots. He made me feel comfortable when he spoke Xhosa.”
AMAKHOSI FIXTURES ON THE HORIZON
Ngezana’s former club must wait until Saturday, March 30th when they travel to Cape Town to face Cape Town City. Amakhosi lost last season’s corresponding fixture on the final day to lose out of fourth place to the Citizens. Kickoff in that match is at 15:30. The turnaround time to their next fixture is short. They clash with Stellenbosch on Tuesday 2 April at 19:30. That’s followed by a trip to Chippa on Saturday 6 April with kickoff at 15:00. Meanwhile, the club’s rearranged meeting with TS Galaxy doesn’t have a confirmed date. Kaizer Chiefs lie 7th in the table, four points adrift of second-placed Pirates.
CHIEFS TO RELEASE TRIO OF UNDERPERFORMERS
According to the Citizen, talented midfielder George Matlou has struggled to have an impact with the Glamour Boys since moving there from Soweto rivals Swallows. Soccer Laduma believes that Happy Mashiane is leaving because of a lack of first-team minutes, and they’re also categorical about Colombian striker Jasond Gonzalez’s imminent exit. The 24-year-old former Real Santa Cruz man has yet to break his goal-scoring duck for the Glamour Boys and will return to the Bolivian club after his loan spell at the end of June. On the other end of the experience scale, 16-year-old Neo Bohloko is scoring for fun in the DDC side.
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