Will we find the next Mbekezeli Mbokazi or Shandre Campbell in Mozambique?

[p]The African champions will begin their bid to qualify for AFCON again when the COSAFA qualifier kicks off in Maputo on Friday.[/p][p]Two years ago, the likes of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbokazi-mbekezile/zg795kmf/"]Mbekezeli Mbokazi[/a], while still an unknown, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/smith-tylon/GnXcXNvC/"]Tylon Smith[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/campbell-shandre/bo9R7dT1/"]Shandre Campbell[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gomolemo-kekana/4ApydRA1/"]Gomolemo Kekana[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/letlhaku-kutlwano/6ZpqeLuq/"]Kutlwano Letlhaku[/a] and goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lowe-fletcher/xGEAB7Ia/"]Fletcher Smythe-Lowe[/a] were all part of an outstanding squad of players.[/p][p]Coach Raymond Mdaka was in charge then and has now named a new selection of players hopeful of winning the regional title for a third successive edition.[/p][p]They are in a group with a powerful [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/angola/rTRqsooo/"]Angola[/a] side, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lesotho/EmlFssbQ/"]Lesotho[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/eswatini/xW0C2Y47/"]Eswatini[/a]. Only the top team in each pool advances, along with the best-placed runner-up across the three groups, so there is little margin for error.[/p][image alt="South Africa's Group B" id="2e02286f-c759-4580-be91-15b50cc9460d" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="00036858-93bb-4be4-b26e-785b684fdf2c" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]There are certainly some interesting names. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cape-town-city/l8K0DYSm/"]Cape Town City[/a]’s 18-year-old star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/witbooi-emile/hfc18lXC/"]Emile Witbooi[/a] could be the Player of the Tournament and will only join the squad after his club’s second-tier fixture this weekend.[/p][p]Midfielder [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/madiba-kgomotso/Ikd9ufqJ/"]Kgomotso Madiba[/a], who is based in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brazil/I9l9aqLq/"]Brazil[/a] with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fluminense/EV9L3kU4/"]Fluminense[/a], is another player to watch.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mamelodi-sundowns/lxZ6Bzh6/"]Mamelodi[/a] Sundowns’ tall striker [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/moss-angus/fDrS8TA5/"]Angus Moss[/a], who previously played at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cape-town-spurs/QaZCKNG1/"]Cape Town Spurs[/a], is a different type of forward who can hold the ball up well.[/p][p]Defender Matthew Palmer from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/slaven-belupo/ENJqToLP/"]NK Slaven Belupo[/a] in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/croatia/K8aznggo/"]Croatia[/a] is another who will be little known to local audiences but has a big opportunity to endear himself.[/p][embed guid="62e3894f-e2f4-4343-ba4e-b5e1fbbab8b6" url="https://x.com/SAFA_net/status/2100223496445919340?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kaizer-chiefs/fFZ2CGx0/"]Kaizer Chiefs[/a] defender Egan Freese is the son of club legend Howard Freese and another to keep an eye on.[/p][p]Defensive midfielder [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maku-lazola/WKWuUrU9/"]Lazola Maku[/a], who left [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/siwelele/x6s5gTDd/"]Siwelele[/a] at the end of last season and is still unattached, has been included.[/p][p]In all, 11 different clubs are represented, but Chiefs have the most players with five – [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mazhamba-takalani/6LPl9shp/"]Takalani Mazhamba[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/morake-keabetswe/lrGBMVPj/"]Keabetswe Morake[/a], Freese, Steven Mendez and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mlangeni-teboho/MPcGd37K/"]Teboho Mlangeni[/a].[/p][p]More than half the squad (55%) come from Chiefs, Mamelodi Sundowns and Cape Town City.[/p][p]The team two years ago went through the competition without conceding a goal, aided by the brilliance of the likes of Mbokazi. Seeing who the new top talents to emerge will be is fascinating.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/south-africa/W2ijYvlr/"]South Africa[/a] open their campaign against Lesotho on Saturday.[/p][embed guid="b08f8b2b-1d3f-4e5d-bec0-f76d2fe4b814" url="https://x.com/SAFA_net/status/2099606942448513214?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]Goalkeepers: [/b]Takalani Mazhamba (Kaizer Chiefs), Anothando Menemene (Mamelodi Sundowns), Keabetswe Morake (Kaizer Chiefs).[/p][p][b]Defenders:[/b] Ukhonaye Magele (University of Johannesburg), Egan Freese (Kaizer Chiefs), Sanele Simelane ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/richards-bay/noDZhkBM/"]Richards Bay[/a]), Tebogo Lekhatla (AmaTuks), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gqongo-lakham/xKS6K8EF/"]Lakham Gqongo[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ts-galaxy/KUDSx8jo/"]TS Galaxy[/a]), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fortune-cayden/rwujnXQ0/"]Cayden Fortune[/a] (Cape Town City), Milimo Nalumango ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/orlando-pirates/p4SF9EMI/"]Orlando Pirates[/a]), Matthew Palmer (NK Slaven Belupo, Croatia), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/qotoyi-zazi/bN0tPIGD/"]Zazi Qotoyi[/a] (Mamelodi Sundowns).[/p][p][b]Midfielders: [/b]Lazola Maku (unattached), Teboho Mlangeni (Kaizer Chiefs), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mazibuko-manelis/vPv3aCn9/"]Manelis Mazibuko[/a] (Siwelele), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/booysen-oarabile/vuaT5Q16/"]Oarabile Booysen[/a] (AmaTuks), Emile Witbooi (Cape Town City), Kgomotso Madiba (Fluminense, Brazil), Joshua Taylor (Cape Town City), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/moloi-kamogelo/2kYWxIbT/"]Kamogelo Mareletse[/a] (Mamelodi Sundowns).[/p][p][b]Forwards: [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/henson-will/OlY6RnQH/"]Will Henson[/a] (Orlando Pirates), Steven Mendez (Kaizer Chiefs), Angus Moss (Mamelodi Sundowns).[/p][infobox id="584d9683-f419-4696-8cb3-c155213092a0" /]