A number of injuries, particularly in midfield, derailed Bafana in their last camp against Nigeria in November, when they played to a 2-2 draw at the FNB Stadium. The likes of Bongani Zungu, Kamohelo Mokotjo, Dean Furman and Keagan Dolly were all missing with an assortment of ailments at the time. Zungu and Dolly have yet to fully recover but have both been turning out for their respective clubs’ reserve teams in France, while Furman and Mokotjo are back in the thick of things for their respective clubs.
The last squad also saw Thulani Serero earn a national team return, following his promising start to the season with Dutch outfit Vitesse, but the 28-year-old was rather underwhelming upon his return from exile. The big question is whether he deserves a recall this month or if an 80-percent fit Zungu is worth the gamble? There is also the question of Hlompho Kekana, whose continental club and international experience always comes in handy, is worth retaining.
Libya are expected to come out guns blazing as they need victory to ensure their passage to the 2019 AFCON finals, while mathematically all Bafana require is a draw, which may suggest that a more conservative approach is likely to be witnessed in Sfax later this month. One thing is certain, Baxter will need a hard-tackling midfield enforcer in the mould of Furman, who would do well to ruffle the feathers of the Mediterranean Knights, while a box-to-box option in the likes Zungu, Kekana or Mokotjo could come in handy as both support in the centre of the park as well as providing an attacking outlet.
Out wide, Themba Zwane is always a viable option down the right-flank but on-form duo Thembinkosi Lorch and Lebohang Maboe also put forward strong cases of their own. It’s the left-side though, that proves problematic with Dolly yet to return to full fitness and Vincent Pule having blown hot and cold of late. There is, however, the option of Aubrey Modiba, who has proven instrumental for SuperSport United this season in as far as goals and assists go.