Kaizer Chiefs set a new club mark as coach Gordon Igesund included five Amakhosi players in the Bafana Bafana starting XI for South Africa’s 2013 CAF Africa Cup of Nations opening game against the Cape Verde at The National Stadium in Johannesburg, for Saturday evenings clash.

The Chiefs contingent will be well at home in The National Stadium and will be looking to use the fact that the Amakhosi play their home games at the venue to good advantage, for Chiefs it is the most number of players the club has ever had starting for Bafana Bafana in a major international tournament.

Goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune makes his 51st appearance for Bafana against the Cape Verdeans as he features in his inaugural game at a Nations Cup, Khune is the first Chiefs goalkeeper since Brian Baloyi featured at the 1998 tournament in Burkina Faso to start in goal for Bafana Bafana.

Siphiwe Tshabalala begins on the left side of midfield as he like Masilela features in his third Africa Cup of Nations and his second as a Chiefs player, setting a new record as he becomes the first Chiefs

player to play at two Africa of Nations tournament after his stint previous stint at the Nations Cup as a Chiefs player in 2008.

Partnering Tshabalala in midfield is his club mate Reneilwe Letsholonyane who started with him and Khune in the opening game of the 2010 Fifa World Cup, while in attack Igesund has opted to go for Chiefs in form strike partnership Lehlohonolo Majoro and Bernard Parker whose goal scoring form has seen the Amakhosi head the PSL at the halfway mark.

The two Chiefs players not starting the games are defenders Siboniso Gaxa and Tsepo Masilela who could feature from the bench some time during the game, as the pair have both played at the Africa Cup of Nations in the past.