Retired football legend Vuyo Mere has named Mamelodi Sundowns’ attacking duo Cassius Mailula and Tashreeq Matthews as well as Orlando Pirates defender Kamogelo Sebelebele as players who have raised their hands to be selected in the Bafana Bafana squad.
Sundowns and Pirates are in this year’s MTN8 final to be played in October at a venue to be confirmed. Mailula has scored four goals in 10 matches across all competitions while his teammate has netted twice with three assists in seven league appearances.
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Sebelebele has been instrumental in Pirates’ defence especially in the MTN8 where they have conceded just one goal in the campaign and has also scored one goal. The trio have also been named in coach Pitso Mosimane’s preliminary squad for the upcoming 2027 AFCON qualifiers against Guinea and Eritrea later this month.
Mere spoke to iDiski Times journalist Lethabo Kganyago in edition 272 of the newspaper expressing that the three had been performing like they knew a new Bafana coach was coming.
“What a way to start your selection of the team by having a pool of players in the MTN8 final,” Mere told iDiski Times.
“This is where most of the players are selected from now because if you look at the World Cup squad, we had many players from Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates. Hence, I was a bit disappointed by the Kaizer Chiefs players not making it all the way to the semi-finals of MTN8 because it was going to help the pool of players for coach Pitso Mosimane to select from.
“Obviously, coach Pitso, he’ll be under pressure because there’s qualifiers around the corner, but for him, the positive side is that he knows the players. He’s worked with most of the players before. Hopefully, he will be able to select a quality squad for the upcoming qualifiers, and I know there’s other teams that are doing very well.
“I mean, players are raising their hands even at the other teams. It’s good to see that. I mean, I’ve been impressed with Sebelebele. I’ve been impressed with Mailula and Tashreeq Matthews at Sundowns. You know, those players, they are raising their hands. It seems like they know that coach Pitso is looking for players.”
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