Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Siphiwe Tshabalala looks likely to be one of three players to lose his place in the starting eleven for Bafana Bafana’s second group game against Tunisia in Tamale on Sunday evening. The Chiefs player started Bafana Bafana’s opening match against Angola on Wednesday evening, but was substituted in the first half and made for way Lerato Chabangu. Given the way Carlos Alberto Parreira had his team training on Friday and Saturday morning, it would seem that Tshabalala goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs and Surprise Moriri will all be sacrificed as the Brazilian looks to go all out for three points against Tunisia on Sunday.

Staying focused

Tshabalala has reflected upon the fact that he could be starting Sunday’s game from the bench and will be lending his voice to the course, should he not start the game speaking to kaizerchiefs.com at the Nobisco training ground on Friday he said. “If the coach does not start with me against Tunisia I will be disappointed, but the disappointment will give way for support of the team as all 23 of us in this squad are here as a team and we need to respect the coach’s decision. On the other hand it does not mean that I need to stand back and lose my place permanently, there is still a lot of football for us to play in Ghana and I will work even harder to demonstrate that I can still do a lot for the team”.

Fernandez returns

While Tshabalala may have to make his way to the bench on Sunday his former Kaizer Chiefs team mate Rowen Fernandez looks set for a return to the starting eleven, after missing the opening match with a fractured finger. Fernandez began training again on Thursday and on Friday was with the group who look likely to be Parriera’s favoured starters, he along with Thembinkosi Fanteni and Lerato Chabangu look like the players who will becoming in place for Moeneeb Josephs, Siphiwe Tshabalala and Surprise Moriri.