Orlando Pirates defender Sam and Kaizer Chiefs' Ngcobo headline South Africa U23 squad

Orlando Pirates defender Bongani Sam and Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Nkosingiphile Ngcobo have been named in the latest South Africa under-23 squad.

The team was scheduled to take on Brazil‚ South Korea and Argentina in a mini-tournament from June 5-11 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as part of their preparations for the 2020 Olympic Games which will be hosted by Japan between July 23 and August 8.

However, the mini-tournament was canceled due to Covid-19 restrictions and David Notoane's side will now take on Egypt's under-23 side in two international friendly matches on June 10 and 13.

Coach Notoane has now named an updated squad to face the Young Pharaohs in Egypt. 

“Unfortunately at the 11th-hour government protocols couldn’t be agreed for us to be in the UAE in terms of Covid‚” Notoane told the media on Thursday. 

“So we moved swiftly to talk to our friends in North Africa‚ Egypt‚ and we managed to secure two games against them.

“We’ll be in Egypt from the 7th to the 14th this month to play those matches. The first match will be on the 10th and the second on the 13th.”

The current PSL season is set to end on Saturday and Notoane explained that he has now added players which he had omitted for the now-abandoned trip to the UAE.

“You’ll see that the squad to Egypt is different to the one that was going to the UAE simply because at the time we announced the team we were scheduled to start on the 5th and the PSL had extended their calendar to end on the 5th this month," he continued. 

“We’re now happy that with the PSL season ending on the 5th and with us departing on Monday‚ all the players will be available because the season would have ended.

“So with the dark side of losing the UAE trip, there’s positivity now that the players we would have liked to have in this final assessment camp are available. It’s a squad of 25 players but of course, there are those we didn’t select because they were selected in the Bafana Bafana team [to play Uganda in a friendly on June 10]," he added.

“I’m talking of players like Sipho Mbule‚ Teboho Mokoena and Sibusiso Mabiliso just to mention a few. After this camp, we will then move to the finalization of our squad for Tokyo‚ which will be handed over to Sascoc.”

SA Under-23 squad to face Egypt

Goalkeepers:

Mondli Mpoto (Bloem Celtic)‚ Lincoln Vyver (Cape Town Spurs)‚ Sifiso Mlungwana (Golden Arrows)

Defenders:

Tercious Malepe (FC Minaj‚ Ukraine)‚ Katlego Mohamme (University of Pretoria)‚ Thendo Mukumela (Cape Town Spurs)‚ Luke Fleurs (SuperSport United)‚ Bongani Sam (Orlando Pirates)‚ Keanu Cupido (Cape Town City)‚ Kamogelo Mahlangu (TS Galaxy)‚ Reeve Frosler (Kaizer Chiefs)

Midfielders:

Luke le Roux (Varbergas Bols FC‚ Sweden‚) Thabo Cele (Cova da Piedale‚ Portugal)‚ Goodman Mosele (Baroka FC)‚ Grant Margeman (Mamelodi Sundowns)‚ Kobamelo Kodisang Sporting Braga FC‚ Portugal)‚ Nkosingiphile Ngcobo (Kaizer Chiefs)‚ Rowen Human (B TLV Bay Yam‚ Israel)‚ Kamohelo Mahlatsi (Swallows FC)

Strikers:

Fagrie Lakay (Cape Town City)‚ Luther Singh (FC Pacos de Ferreira‚ Portugal)‚ Keletso Makgalwa (Mamelodi Sundowns)‚ Lyle Foster (Vitoria Guimares‚ Portugal)‚ Liam Jordam (FC Helsingor‚ Denmark).