Orlando Pirates midfielder Patrick Maswanganyi starred for South Africa in the recent Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Qualifiers. The 26-year-old netted in each of the two games to see off Uganda and Sudan respectively as Bafana Bafana finished on top of Group K, unbeaten in their six fixtures.
He was one of six Buccaneers named in the 23-man squad called up ahead of the November international break, which commenced with qualification not yet secured by Hugo Broos’ charges. That feat was however achieved before Bafana and their group’s eventual runners-up The Cranes even took to the pitch at Mandela National Stadium on Friday.
Brought on in the second half in Kampala, Maswanganyi provided the crucial second goal for the visitors who claimed a 2-0 win to move to the top of the group. His dazzling cameo earned him a start in Tuesday’s home fixture against South Sudan, where he was again on the scoresheet as he doubled South Africa’s lead in the 22nd minute en route to a comfortable 3-0.
Three more Buccaneers also featured across the two fixtures, with striker Evidence Makgopa starting against the East Africans while midfielder Thalente Mbatha was introduced late in the second half. Relebohile Mofokeng was among the unused subs along with Nkosinathi Sibisi and Sipho Chaine.
The 20-year-old did get a run in Cape Town when he was brought in to replace Maswanganyi in the 74th minute along with Sibisi, who came on to shore up the defence in place of Siyabonga Ngezane.
The Soweto Giants were also represented elsewhere on the continent as Angolan international Gilberto earned his 16th international cap when he made a seven-minute cameo in his side’s goalless draw with Sudan on Monday. This was after only appearing on the bench in the earlier fixture where the Palancas Negras played to a 1-1 stalemate against Ghana’s Black Stars.
Deon Hotto’s Namibia meanwhile could not avoid the wooden spoon in Group J, despite earning their first points of the campaign through scoreless draws against Cameroon and Kenya. The Bucs stalwart was a starter at Orlando Stadium where the Brave Warriors took on the Indomitable Lions and did not feature away to the Harambee Stars.
All eight Bucs players who departed on national duty are back in camp, joining the rest of their teammates in preparation for Tuesday night’s CAF Champions League group stage opener against Algeria’s CR Belouizdad.
