Hosts South Africa announce final Fifa World Cup squad
Brazilian coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has named the final 23-man South Africa squad that will enter the 2010 Fifa World Cup as hosts, and has omitted the country’s all-time leading goalscorer Benni McCarthy.
The West Ham forward, 32, has been struggling for form and fitness ever since his January move from Blackburn Rovers, with his omission ensuring that only three British-based players make the 23 – the Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar, Fulham’s Kagisho Dikgacoi and Portsmouth’s Aaron Mokoena, the captain of his country who earned his 100th cap in last night’s 5-0 win over Guatemala in Polokwane.
Two penalties from Katlego Mphela and strikes from Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Surprise Moriri and Bernard Parker secured the win for the Bafana Bafana, and all four are in Parreira’s final squad.
As well as McCarthy, goalkeeper Rowan Fernandez, youngster Franklin Cale and defenders Bryce Moon and Innocent Mdledle have been cut from the provisional squad, who will play one more friendly against Denmark before their first World Cup Group A match against Mexico in Johannesburg on June 11th, the first match of the tournament.
They’ll also face Uruguay and France in their group, but the hosts are not being tipped to make the knockout stages.
The South Africa squad for the 2010 Fifa World Cup:
Goalkeepers: Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs), Moeneeb Josephs (Orlando Pirates), Shu-Aib Walters (Maritzburg United).
Defenders: Matthew Booth (Mamelodi Sundowns), Siboniso Gaxa (Mamelodi Sundowns), Bongani Khumalo (SuperSport United), Tshepo Masilela (Maccabi Haifa), Aaron Mokoena (Portsmouth), Anele Ngcongca (Genk), Siyabonga Sangweni (Golden Arrows), Lucas Thwala (Orlando Pirates).
Midfielders: Lance Davids (Ajax Cape Town), Kagisho Dikgacoi (Fulham), Thanduyise Khuboni (Golden Arrows), Reneilwe Letsholonyane (Kaizer Chiefs), Teko Modise (Orlando Pirates), Surprise Moriri (Mamelodi Sundowns), Steven Pienaar (Everton), Macbeth Sibaya (Rubin Kazan), Simphiwe Tshabalala (Kaizer Chiefs)
Forwards: Katlego Mphela (Mamelodi Sundowns), Siyabonga Nomvete (Moroka Swallows), Bernard Parker (FC Twente).
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