The budding national and Kaizer Chiefs star celebrates his 21st

birthday on Friday and has asked his teammates to help him with his

special birthday wish.

Said Khune after a two hour training session at the Pilditch Stadium

on Tuesday afternoon: "The best 21st birthday present I could wish for

would be three points when we play Sierra Leone at the Super Stadium on

Saturday."

Khune has played in the last two 2010 African Nations Cup qualifiers

for his country and both goals he conceded came from the penalty spot.

Khune had an easy time when Bafana clobbered Equatorial Guinea 4-1

at Atteridgeville's Super Stadium less than two weeks ago but the

wheels came off last Saturday when a dispirited Bafana were beaten 1-0

by a no name brand Sierra Leone in Freetown.

This defeat has put the pressure on Bafana to win their remaining

three Group Four qualifiers if they are to stand any chance of

qualifying for the 2010 African Nations Cup finals in Angola.

Khune stressed that the players did not need coach Joel Santana to

tell then what their position in qualifying was. Said Khune: "We don't

need the coach to tell us anything we all know what we have to do on

Saturday and that is to win."

"I have asked the boys,

management and all the officials to come to the party and celebrate

three points. That is the only way I will be able to enjoy my 21st

birthday."

Khune said that one of the reasons for Bafana doing so badly was

down to their "away sickness". Bafana have not won an away match in 13

months. He hopes that same sickness will infect the Leone Stars on

Saturday.

He said: "As players we look for a draw away from home. We all know

that we have not performed well away from home. But I am happy to be

coming back to Pretoria and the Super Stadium where we have had some

great results lately.

"I always enjoy playing in Pretoria. The fans also deserve to see us

get our qualifying campaign back on the road."

Khune made his debut at the Super Stadium in March and played a

storming game when Bafana thumped highly rated Paraguay 3-0 and he is

hoping to make it three wins in a row for him by beating Sierra Leone.

Said Khune: "It will be a different ball game this time. Sierra

Leone will come with an away attitude like we did and pay the penalty."

The one aspect of Bafana's game that Khune wants to see improved is

scoring goals.

"We created goalscoring chances against Sierra Leone

but failed to convert. This Saturday we must put away those chances."

Santana and his medical team are expected to make a decision on

whether injured skipper Aaron Mokoena will play against Sierra Leone in

this must-win qualifier.

The Blackburn Rovers defender injured his shin against Equatorial

Guinea and missed last Saturday's defeat.

Mokoena did only light training with the squad on Tuesday.