South Africa coach Pitso Mosimane names 38-man squad for Kenya AFCON qualifiers

South Africa head coach Pitso Mosimane has named a preliminary 38-man squad for the Bafana Bafana’s upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Kenya, with several familiar faces returning to the national team setup.

Mosimane has recalled Mbekezeli Mbokaze, Talente Mbatha, Lebogang Maboe and Luke le Roux after their absence from the previous national team camp, giving the quartet an opportunity to re-establish themselves as South Africa prepare for the crucial qualifiers.

The preliminary squad also features several players who have caught the coach’s attention with their recent performances at club level.

Thalassani Mbandjwa, Aiden McCarthy, Nkosisikhona Radebe, Devin Titus, Botumelo Radiopane and Nksaba Xulu have all earned call-ups as Mosimane assesses his options ahead of the two encounters.

The inclusion of the in-form players reflects the coach’s willingness to widen his selection pool while assessing the depth available across different positions.

With two matches against Kenya on the schedule, South Africa will be looking to assemble a competitive squad capable of collecting valuable points in their quest to secure qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations.

The 38-man list is preliminary, meaning further assessments will determine the final selection for the matches. The returning players and newcomers will now have an opportunity to strengthen their claims for places in the final squad as Bafana Bafana prepare for the double-header.