Ndlovu forces his way into Bafana squad as Mosimane acknowledges his special talent

Ndlovu was the surprise inclusion in the 27-man squad that Mosimane announced at SABC Studios today for next week’s two Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Kenya at Orlando Stadium and in Nairobi. 

Skhwishi, as the 23-year-old is popularly known, has started like a house on fire for the Brazilians, with two goals, three assists and two pre-assists. 

He’s so good that he wasn’t part of the preliminary squad, but Mosimane says they couldn’t ignore his talent anymore.

"I think, if you look at these last four games, I think he came out with two Man of the Matches, scoring, assists, also not about scoring. Deliberate player, a little bit of a duplicate to Thapelo Maseko right and I like those wingers, you know. Turn around, go inside, one v one, go past, bring the ball in the box, let's tap it in,” Mosimane said. 

“Those are my kind of wingers, you know why? Because it's business, it's deliberate and do you score? Of course, you must score also, you can't tell us about assists and you don't score. He's that kind of player, who has intensity."

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Ndlovu has also been a back-to-back man of the match in the Carling Knockout, and he’s been a livewire in coach Miguel Cardoso’s team. 

Mosimane says the 23-year-old forms part of the pool that they are building in the national team.

"But we still have to check him in the national team because the national team is not at the same level as club level. So, we have to check him in the national team, how he is and if he can fit in,” the coach explained. 

“Thapelo is injured, we need to create a big pool of players, we don't have time. I'm not like Rassie [Erasmus] who can take an England tour, Australian tour, what, what tour. 

“I don't have that, I have to follow what FIFA gives me and at the moment there's no friendly games until the finals, so how am I gonna see these players who are doing well. I need to bring them inside the camp, train with them and see them."