Brazillian coach Carlos Alberto Perreira is back in the country to take charge of the struggling Bafana Bafana, and has announced a squad of 24 players that will take part in two upcoming friendly matches between Japan and Jamaica.

Inset: Bafana Bafana coach Carlos Alberto Parreira (Photo: Blog Brasilo Mundial FC)

His re-appointment to the national team follows the resignation of his countryman, Joel Santana, who moved Bafana Bafana from bad to worse, by loosing eight after nine matches.

The Brazilian first took charge of the national soccer team in January 2006 with a contract seeing him through to the 2010 Fifa World Cup, but on a surprise move, he resigned claiming that he wanted to be close to his ailing wife.

Upcoming friendly matches

In recent weeks, the South African Football Association (Safa) has moved Bafana's clash against Japan more than twice. It was initially planned to be played at the revamped Orlando Stadium, but it was moved to Rand Stadium.

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, according to Safa.

The international friendly was then planned to be played at Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban, but on Wednesday the association announced that the match will be played at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Port Elizabeth the Eastern Cape.

The friendly match will still be played on 14 November at 3:30pm.

The international friendly match against Jamaica remains at Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein on 17 November.

Bafana Bafana squad

By midday, Parreira had announced which players had made the squad for the two upcoming 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

Source: SouthAfrica.info
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