Johannesburg - Shakes Mashaba will most likely throw yet another one-capped goalkeeper into the international fray when Bafana Bafana play Sudan in a must-win Africa Cup of Nations\(Afcon) qualifier in three weeks time.
The death on Sunday of Senzo Meyiwa has left Mashaba without his No1 and captain, opening the door for either Darren Keet or Ronwen Williams to add to their single caps.
Do not, however, rule out the possibility of Mashaba pulling off a surprise call-up in the form of Kaizer Chiefs’ youngster Brilliant Khuzwayo.
Veteran goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs might also be back in the reckoning with Itumeleng Khune unlikely to be fit to play, should the coach decide to go for an experience head.
That, though, is unlikely - Mashaba having already proven himself unafraid to give untested players a run, as he did with Meyiwa who had also played just once for Bafana before he took over for the last four qualifiers.
So on Thursday when he names his squad for the October 15 clash in Mbombela, Mashaba would have agonised long and hard over a replacement for the player he described as the first one he jots down on his squad and team lists.
On Monday Mashaba tearfully described just how important Meyiwa had become to the national team.
“As we were sitting deliberating on the squad for our next match against Sudan, Senzo’s name was top of the list for the squad and the playing team. Without any doubt his name always came first,” Mashaba said of the goalkeeper who kept four clean sheets - wins over Sudan and Congo Brazzaville as well as goalless draws with Nigeria and the Congo - in the qualifiers.
He then laid out the challenge for the next shot-stopper: “Whoever is going to play in Senzo’s place should work hard to achieve what Senzo achieved.”
Keet and Williams will no doubt be keen to take on the challenge of representing their country, and Meyiwa’s performances should serve as inspiration for them.
Keet was the deceased Buccaneers’ goalkeeper’s deputy in the four Afcon qualifiers played recently and would have learnt much from the experience. The Belgium-based goalkeeper was initially not in Mashaba’s final squad but was called up when Khune pulled out due to injury. He is doing pretty well for his Belgian club KV Kortrijk, where he has been the regular ‘keeper since last season.
Keet’s sole cap came in September last year in a 2-1 friendly defeat to Zimbabwe at Orlando Stadium.
Williams has been on top for SuperSport United this season, especially since Gordon Igesund’s arrival with the only blot being last week’s 4-1 hammering by Maritzburg United. But he bounced back to play a sterling role in Matsatsantsa’s Telkom Knockout quarter-final victory over Bidvest Wits.
Williams was part of Mashaba’s initial big squad of 30 but failed to make the cut into the final side, Mashaba opting instead for Under-20 goalkeeper and Williams’ SuperSport teammate Dumisani Msibi. The youngster, though, is one for the future and the coach is unlikely to throw him into the deep end.
Williams’ lone Bafana experience was somewhat of a nightmare, the SuperSport No1 conceding five against Brazil in a friendly.
With South Africa needing to beat Sudan to participate in their first Afcon since 2008 via a proper qualification process and not as hosts, a lot is sure to go into Mashaba’s decision on the goalkeeping berth.
After all, with the final match being a trip away to Nigeria, failure in Mbombela is not an option.
Out of respect for Meyiwa, the Soweto Derby scheduled for Saturday has been postponed.
The Star