Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has opened on the likes of Iqraam Rayners and Thapelo Maseko being recalled to the Bafana Bafana squad.
The South Africa national team boss named his preliminary squad for the upcoming games against Panama, with Rayners, who is now joint top scorer of the league with 10 goals alongside Junior Dion, among the notable returnees.
Maseko, 22, who secured a mid-season loan to Cyprus with AEL Limassol, has also earned recognition, with the winger who was part of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations squad, scoring two goals in seven appearances since the move to Europe.
Captain Themba Zwane and Thapelo Maseko round up the players who are back in contention, while regulars, Ronwen Williams, Khuliso Mudau, Teboho Mokoena, Aubrey Modiba and Khulamani Ndamane retained their spots in the squad.
“Yeah obviously [Rayners’ form] makes me happy but at the same time it makes me worried because we have a player like Peter [Shalulile], who in the past was so important and now not in the group, then we had Lebo [Mothiba] who did well when he entered and helped,” Cardoso told SABC Sport journalist Velile Mnyandu after the 2-0 win over ORBIT College on Tuesday evening in Rustenberg.
“It’s this team of Sundowns that has quality and in some positions we have many players and when they perform, they appear, but live different moments throughout a season, I’m happy to see he’s doing well, happy to see him back in the national team, hope he’s in the final squad.
“Also happy to see [Thapelo] Morena back, happy to see Maseko doing well in Cyprus and he’s also on the list – Jayden also back on the list – so happy to see that the boys understand, if they want to fight for big achievements, they have to perform and produce results, otherwise there’s no space in the national team, let’s see what happens in the next months.”
Rayners in particular has been in fine form with four goals in his last three league games since returning to the field of play.
