Jamie Webber had a notable performance against Egypt in a CHAN qualifier.
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SAFA's makeshift squad, popularly referred to as Bafana Bafana B, silenced hosts Egypt with a 3-1 victory, sealing a 4-2 aggregate win on Sunday night to advance to the final round of CHAN qualifiers.
Last week, the team had already signaled their intentions when they held Egypt to a 1-1 draw in Bloemfontein. It was an encouraging performance, highlighted by the standout display of Orlando Pirates outcast Monnapule Saleng.
For unknown reasons, Saleng was not included in the squad for Sunday's second leg at the Suez Canal Stadium in Ismailia.
Despite this setback, the South Africans held the upper hand for most of the match. The bulk of Egypt's squad was drawn from the country's First Division, which would have been an advantage, as the South Africans — apart from five players — were selected from third-tier teams. Egypt's Premier League is ranked No 2 in Africa, while the PSL has yet to break into the Top 5 ranked African leagues.
The SA side was captained by Neo Maema, who has been out of favour at Sundowns since Manqoba Mngqithi replaced Rulani Mokwena as head coach. The new management, under Portuguese coach Miguel Cardoso, has also not fielded him.
He is, nevertheless, a talented player, and Safa should make a point of keeping him and other squad members together for the next two months. This Bafana Bafana B team has a strong chance of qualifying for CHAN, which Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania will host in August.
The last round of qualifiers will be played in May. While Safa ponders the squad's preparations, they should also work to secure Saleng's services. With his class, he can disrupt opposition defenses, and the players around him stand to benefit because he commands attention from his markers.
The decision to bring in Molefi Ntseki also proved to be a masterstroke after he was dismissed by Marumo Gallants. Ntseki has an excellent track record of working with young players, and in a short space of time, he has brought out the best in them.
Under Ntseki's tutelage, the players kept their temperament in check despite Egypt's overly aggressive play in front of a hostile crowd. The South Africans endured several harsh, crunching tackles, but in the end, they frustrated their opponents with a smooth, short-passing game that Egypt struggled to counter.
One player who made his presence felt was Sekhukhune United's Jamie Webber. He was outstanding in the first leg and scored a stunning equalizer in the 1-1 stalemate against the Pharaohs in Bloemfontein.
This week, Webber is set to move to the US after signing for second-tier side FC Tulsa. However, Safa should ensure his club is given a timely reminder ahead of a call-up for the May qualifiers against Malawi.
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