new Bafana Bafana recruit may Mahlangu reckons his goalscoring proewr will continue at the senior national team after he was called up to tonight’s international friendly against equatorial guinea Swedish footballer of the year is expected to make his Bafana debut today in a match billed for Bata City.
“This is a dream come true for me, like any other soccer player,” Mahlangu said. “I always knew that my turn would come and I’m excited it has finally come. I have been doing well in Sweden and I knew that I will be called up for Bafana Bafana one day. I can’t wait to play for my country and it will be an emotional moment for me.
“I’m grateful to coach Pitso Mosimane and his technical staff for the opportunity. I know that I have to work hard to get more call-ups.
“I have been scoring crucial goals for my club (Helsingborg FC) and that won’t stop.”
Tonight’s game will be played at the 40000-seat Nkoantoma Stadium that will be used as one of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations venues.
Mhlangu is one of the 10 new players roped into the team by Mosimane, who will be using a series of friendlies to prepare for the 2013 Afcon finals.
The other new players in the squad include Siyabonga Mpontshana of Platinum Stars, Free State Stars’s Mzikayise Mashaba, Sibusiso Vilakazi of Bidvest Wits and Ajax Cape Town’s Nazeer Allie. Santos’s Wayne Arendse joined the team yesterday after he was initially left behind when it was discovered that his passport had expired.
“The youngsters we have brought here are determined to fight for the country and we want to start the new year with a bang by winning the game,” said Mosimane.
Meanwhile, SABC will no longer televise the game.
“We initially agreed with Safa to show the game at 8.30pm but the change of kickoff to 6pm is out for us and we have already sold advertising,” said SABC group spokesman Kaizer Kganyago.
The change was made at the request of Equatorial Guinea President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo to accommodate soccer fans from neighbouring Chad and Cameroon who had to fly home after the clash
