Nedbank Ke Yona Team graduate Maphosa Modiba has been selected as part of the Bafana Bafana squad, scheduled to take on Mauritania in the 2017 Gabon Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, as well as Egypt in the 2016 Nelson Mandela Challenge.
Bafana will face Mauritania on September 2 at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, and will then lock horns with Egypt four days later at Orlando Stadium in Soweto.
This will be Modiba's first international call-up at senior level having recently returned from the 2016 Rio Olympics in Brazil with the South African under-23 team.
Modiba's rise to the top began in 2014 at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, where the Ke Yona Team selectors identified him as a raw talent. From then on Modiba has been exceptional, helping his then-club, Mpumalanga Black Aces (it is now defunct and has been bought by Cape Town City FC) finish fourth in the Premiership.
He was also voted Premiership Young Player of the Season. Modiba was also a permanent feature in the South African under-20 team under current Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba.
He was part of the under-20 squad that competed in the 2015 CAF African Youth Championship in Senegal. Prior to travelling to Rio for the Olympic Games, the left-footed player also helped South Africa to win gold at the 2016 COSAFA Castle Cup tournament held in Namibia.
“To represent your country is every footballer's dream and I am very grateful to be selected for these two important matches. I can certainly count myself as one of the fortunate footballers to have come through the ranks, under-20, under-23 and now with Bafana Bafana, and this is indeed a dream come true,” said Modiba.
“Just being part of the senior squad is a huge vote of confidence and I will certainly do my best should I be given a chance to play against either Mauritania or Egypt.
“The call-up is a result of hard work and dedication, and I would like to thank Nedbank with the Ke Yona Team Search as it is where it all started for me. I believe with the talent we have in this country, more players will emerge from the project.”
Meanwhile, more stars are set to be unveiled when the 2016 Ke Yona Team takes on reigning Nedbank Cup Champions, Supersport United. The clash takes place on Sunday, September 4 at the Sinaba Stadium in Daveyton.
Tickets are available free of charge at all Computicket stores nationwide.
African News Agency