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Carlos, Benni back for Bafana

5 November 2009

Brazilian Carlos Alberto Perreira is back in the country to take charge of South Africa's struggling national football team, Bafana Bafana, and has named a squad of 24 – including Blackburn Rovers striker Benni McCarthy – for the upcoming friendlies against Japan and Jamaica.

McCarthy, South Africa's all-time leading goalscorer, fell out of favour with Parreira's predecessor, Joel Santana, before the Confederations Cup in June, thus continuing his on-off relationship with the national team. The striker is reportedly struggling to regain his form at Blackburn.

Parreira's re-appointment to the national team follows the resignation of Santana, under whom Bafana Bafana lost eight of their nine previous matches.

Parreira first took charge of the national soccer team in January 2007 with a contract seeing him through to the 2010 Fifa World Cup, but resigned in April 2008 to be with his ailing wife.

Nelson Mandela Stadium

The South African Football Association (Safa) has in recent weeks chopped and changed over the venue for Bafana's clash against Japan.

The match was initially planned for the revamped Orlando Stadium in Soweto, Johannesburg, but will now be played at Port Elizabeth's 2010 World Cup venue, the Nelson Mandela Stadium, at 3:30pm SA time on 14 November.

Orlando Stadium has a series of Absa Premiership matches lined up before Bafana's clash with Japan, so there was a concern with the state of the pitch, Safa said.

The international friendly match against Jamaica will take place at Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein on 17 November.

Bafana squad

By midday on Thursday, Parreira had announced his squad for the two friendly matches:

Goalkeepers: Rowen Fernandez (Germany, Arminia Bielefeld), Moeneeb Josephs (RSA, Orlando Pirates), Darren Keet (RSA, BidVest Wits)

Defenders: Siboniso Gaxa (RSA, Mamelodi Sundowns), Morgan Gould (RSA, SuperSport United), Bongani Khumalo (RSA, SuperSport United), Tsepo Masilela (Israel, Maccabi Haifa), Aaron Mokoena (England, Portsmouth), Anele Ngcongca (Belgium, KRC Genk), Siyabonga Sangweni (RSA, Golden Arrows), Lucas Thwala (RSA, Orlando Pirates)

Midfielders: Daylon Classen (Netherlands, Ajax Amsterdam), Kagisho Dikgacoi (England, Fulham), Daine Klate (RSA, SuperSport United), Reneilwe Letsholonyane (RSA, Kaizer Chiefs), Teko Modise (RSA, Orlando Pirates), Macbeth Sibaya (Russia, Rubin Kazan), Siphiwe Tshabalala (RSA, Kaizer Chiefs), Elrio van Heerden (England, Blackburn Rovers)

Strikers: Kermit Erasmus (Netherlands, Excelsior Rotterdam), Mabhuti Khenyeza (RSA, Mamelodi Sundowns), Benni McCarthy (England, Blackburn Rovers), Katlego Mphela (RSA, Mamelodi Sundowns), Bernard Parker (Netherlands, FC Twente)

SAinfo reporter and BuaNews