Posted in News, Team News on Mar 24, 2021.
A number of Chiefs players will be involved in national duty during the current FIFA international break, with Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers resuming for the 2022 AFCON Tournament, while the South Africa U-23 team with three Chiefs players will continue their preparations for this year’s summer Olympic Games with a training camp.
SA U-23 coach David Notoane has opted to call up Amakhosi trio of defender Reeve Frosler, as well as midfield duo of Nkosingiphile Ngcobo and Happy Mashiane to his training camp in eThekwini which began on Sunday 21 March and will run up until 29 March. The South Africa U-23 team will find out their opponents at the Olympic Games to be held in Tokyo Japan from 23 July to 8 August when the draw is conducted at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland on 21 April.
In the meantime, goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune and Bafana Bafana will be looking to take a step closer to the AFCON early next year with a win against Ghana on Thursday 25 March at FNB Stadium. Currently, South Africa and the Black Stars are joint top of Group C with 9 points. Ghana lead the way as they have a better head-to-head to South Africa. Bafana will travel to face Sudan on Sunday 28 March, which will be their final game in the qualifiers.
Also on international duty this weekend is Anthony Akumu Agay who will be hoping to help Kenya defeat Egypt at home on 25 March and away to Togo on 29 March. Kenya face a tough battle to qualify even if they win both their games in Group G, they still need results elsewhere to go their way. Another Chiefs player Khama Billiat was called up by Zimbabwe for their games against Botswana away and Zambia at home in Group H. As he is still recovering from injury, ZIFA and Chiefs came to an agreement to allow him to stay back in Johannesburg and continue his recovery process.
Daniel Akpeyi is on standby for Nigeria, who will be taking on Benin and Lesotho in their final games in Group L. A win for the Super Eagles in either of these games should be enough to qualify them for the AFCON next year.
SA U-23 coach David Notoane has opted to call up Amakhosi trio of defender Reeve Frosler, as well as midfield duo of Nkosingiphile Ngcobo and Happy Mashiane to his training camp in eThekwini which began on Sunday 21 March and will run up until 29 March. The South Africa U-23 team will find out their opponents at the Olympic Games to be held in Tokyo Japan from 23 July to 8 August when the draw is conducted at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland on 21 April.
In the meantime, goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune and Bafana Bafana will be looking to take a step closer to the AFCON early next year with a win against Ghana on Thursday 25 March at FNB Stadium. Currently, South Africa and the Black Stars are joint top of Group C with 9 points. Ghana lead the way as they have a better head-to-head to South Africa. Bafana will travel to face Sudan on Sunday 28 March, which will be their final game in the qualifiers.
Also on international duty this weekend is Anthony Akumu Agay who will be hoping to help Kenya defeat Egypt at home on 25 March and away to Togo on 29 March. Kenya face a tough battle to qualify even if they win both their games in Group G, they still need results elsewhere to go their way. Another Chiefs player Khama Billiat was called up by Zimbabwe for their games against Botswana away and Zambia at home in Group H. As he is still recovering from injury, ZIFA and Chiefs came to an agreement to allow him to stay back in Johannesburg and continue his recovery process.
Daniel Akpeyi is on standby for Nigeria, who will be taking on Benin and Lesotho in their final games in Group L. A win for the Super Eagles in either of these games should be enough to qualify them for the AFCON next year.
