South Africa’s national team, Bafana Bafana, is preparing for the 2023 AFCON tournament in Ivory Coast after failing to qualify for the 2021 edition. The team secured their place by finishing second in their group and will be playing against Mali in the Group E phase. Despite some controversy over team selection, the squad has been training rigorously at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport and will be playing an international friendly match against Lesotho before heading to the tournament. The Bafana Bafana’s journey to the AFCON 2023 is a true testament to their resilience and perseverance.

What is the AFCON 2023 and how is South Africa preparing for it?

South Africa’s national team, Bafana Bafana, is gearing up for the 2023 AFCON tournament in Ivory Coast after failing to qualify for the 2021 edition. The team secured their place by finishing second in their group and will be playing against Mali in the Group E phase. Despite some controversy over team selection, the squad has been training rigorously at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport and will be playing an international friendly match against Lesotho before heading to the tournament.

The Path to Participation

Riding the wave of enthusiasm stirred by the 2023 AFCON tournament, South Africa’s national team, Bafana Bafana, is bolstering its efforts to compete. The event, scheduled to commence in the Ivory Coast a week from today, marks a triumphant return for the Bafana Bafana to the AFCON circle. Their last appearance was in 2019, and a failure to qualify for the 2021 edition in Cameroon has made this return all the more significant.

The team secured their berth in the forthcoming AFCON by finishing second in their group. Their only stumbling block was the powerful Moroccan team, the North African giants. The crowning moment of this hard-fought journey was a memorable 2-1 triumph against the semi-finalists of the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup. This victory was scored in the concluding match of the qualifying campaign at Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium.

Team Selection Controversies and Preparations

The final 23-player team, announced last week by Head Coach Hugo Broos, stirred some controversy due to the unexpected omission of Lyle Foster, the renowned striker from the English Premier League. This decision, taken together with Foster’s club, Burnley, also raised eyebrows. Two prominent Major League Soccer players, Bongokuhle Hlongwane and Njabulo Blom, suffered the same fate due to their approximate two-month period of inactivity.

The chosen players have since convened at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport (SAS) facilities. Here, they have been rigorously training for their debut match against Mali in the tournament’s Group E phase.

Standby Players and Friendly Matches

Four supplementary players are on hold as possible replacements, should any injuries befall the selected 23-player squad. Broos initially planned to keep just three players as backups: Tapelo Xoki from Orlando Pirates, Sibongiseni Mthethwa of Kaizer Chiefs, and Elias Mokwana from Sekhukhune United.

However, in a surprising turn of events, the official team list handed to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) included an unplanned addition: Iqraam Rayners from Stellenbosch FC. Rayners had an exceptional last season, which drew the attention of both the Chiefs and the national team’s coach, Broos. He has since been declared the fourth standby player for the Bafana.

The team is scheduled to play an international friendly match against the neighboring country, Lesotho, before jetting off to Ivory Coast on Thursday morning. This match serves as an essential checkpoint, enabling the squad to further solidify their strategies and team dynamics in anticipation of their eagerly awaited participation in the AFCON tournament.

The Bafana Bafana Journey: A Testament to Resilience

The Bafana Bafana’s journey from their failure to qualify for the previous AFCON to their resurgence as contenders again is indeed a true reflection of their perseverance and grit. The road to AFCON 2023 has been a roller-coaster ride for the team. However, with a blend of seasoned and gifted players, Bafana Bafana is set to once again leave an impression in African football. Their path to AFCON and the games that lie ahead promise to pen a captivating new chapter in South Africa’s football history.

1. What is the AFCON 2023 and how is South Africa preparing for it?

South Africa’s national team, Bafana Bafana, is preparing for the 2023 AFCON tournament in Ivory Coast after failing to qualify for the 2021 edition. The team secured their place by finishing second in their group and will be playing against Mali in the Group E phase. Despite some controversy over team selection, the squad has been training rigorously at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport and will be playing an international friendly match against Lesotho before heading to the tournament.

2. How did South Africa qualify for the AFCON 2023 tournament?

South Africa’s national team, Bafana Bafana, secured their place in the 2023 AFCON tournament by finishing second in their group. They won a memorable 2-1 triumph against the semi-finalists of the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup in the concluding match of the qualifying campaign at Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium.

3. What was the controversy over team selection for the AFCON 2023?

The final 23-player team announced by Head Coach Hugo Broos stirred some controversy due to the unexpected omission of Lyle Foster, the renowned striker from the English Premier League. Two prominent Major League Soccer players, Bongokuhle Hlongwane and Njabulo Blom, were also left out due to their two-month period of inactivity.

4. Who are the standby players for the Bafana Bafana team?

Four supplementary players are on hold as possible replacements, should any injuries befall the selected 23-player squad. They include Tapelo Xoki from Orlando Pirates, Sibongiseni Mthethwa of Kaizer Chiefs, Elias Mokwana from Sekhukhune United, and an unplanned addition, Iqraam Rayners from Stellenbosch FC.

5. What international friendly match will the Bafana Bafana team play before the AFCON 2023 tournament?

The Bafana Bafana team will play an international friendly match against Lesotho before heading to the AFCON 2023 tournament. This match serves as an essential checkpoint, enabling the squad to further solidify their strategies and team dynamics in anticipation of their eagerly awaited participation in the tournament.

6. What does the Bafana Bafana’s journey to AFCON 2023 represent?

The Bafana Bafana’s journey to AFCON 2023 is a true testament to their resilience and perseverance. The team’s path to the tournament has been a roller-coaster ride, but with a blend of seasoned and gifted players, Bafana Bafana is set to once again leave an impression in African football. Their path to AFCON and the games that lie ahead promise to pen a captivating new chapter in South Africa’s football history.