Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou is proud of Buccaneers’ supply to Bafana Bafana squad ahead of AFCON

At first, the players’ selection to represent the country was a controversy, but the stars from Mayfair rose to the occasion each time they stepped onto the pitch, proving why the man at the helm, Hugo Broos, placed his trust in them.

Earlier this week, the Bafana Bafana preliminary squad for the Africa Cup of Nations was announced, which includes 12 players from the Sea Robbers: Sipho Chaine, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Thalente Mbatha, Masindi Nemtajela, Oswin Appollis, Kamogelo Sebelebele, Patrick Maswanganyi, Tshepang Moremi, Sipho Mbule, Evidence Makgopa and Relebohile Mofokeng.

The recent 3-1 victory in the international friendly against Zambia further highlighted the impact of the Buccaneers’ influence on the national team. Appollis opened the scoresheet after being set up by Mbule, while former Pirates player Mohau Nkota doubled the lead — once again benefiting from Mbule’s precise delivery. Even though goalkeeper Chaine fell short in the dying minutes, conceding a late goal to Chipolopolo, the team’s overall performance remained commendable.

As the Soweto side continued to showcase their top form in the midweek clash against a resilient Chippa United, with Appollis once again on the scoresheet, coach Abdeslam Ouaddou expressed immense pride.

He praised his squad’s growing presence in the national team, noting that it reflects the club’s strong work and its ability to produce highly competitive players.

“For the club, you have to be proud to have such number of players in the national team,” said Ouaddou as per iDiski Times. 

“You have to give credit to the club, we are working for the nation. And we have the duty to have results for the club but we have to prepare [the players] for the nation because soon, they will go to AFCON.

“So, we have to offer the much-competitive players to represent the nation.

“We are the disposal of the country and the coach of the national team. We have to work like that and to give good players who can perform for the national team players. I’m very happy for them.” he added. 

However, Ouaddou’s work is far from over, as one of his players Tshegofatso Mabasa has publicly expressed his desire to be part of the Bafana setup as well.

The 29-year-old striker will be pushing hard to impress in hopes of earning a late call-up to the final squad travelling to Morocco - or else he may have to shift his dream to the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Meanwhile, Sinoxolo Kwayiba, who has struggled to fully convince Ouaddou this season, will need to put in extra effort to regain his form and strengthen his chances of donning the Mzansi jersey again.

The Buccaneers will be aiming to maintain their momentum when they clash with Durban City FC this weekend — a side likely to be outnumbered in their own backyard as the Sea Robbers’ faithful will come out in numbers. 

However, the KwaZulu-Natal outfit is expected to put up a stern challenge as they push to move closer to the top four. And the coach, Gavin Hunt, knows how to plan for matches against the big three in the league.

The outcome of this encounter could play a decisive role in shaping the Soweto team's approach heading into the Knockout Cup final on December 6. While speculations around the vice-captain Mbokazi’s future with the club continue to unfold.