ORLANDO Pirates defender Lebone Seema is among the players who will be using the Soweto derbies this season as auditions for the Bafana Bafana World Cup squad.
Image: BackpagePix
Competing in the Soweto derby and at the Fifa World Cup are arguably what most South African-born and based players seek to achieve before calling time on their respective careers.
Some talented and lucky individuals will get a chance to relish both sets of dreams in the next few months. Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates will face off in two derbies, starting on Saturday at FNB Stadium. Bafana Bafana, meanwhile, will compete at the World Cup in June.
With the Soweto derby coming just before Bafana coach Hugo Broos names his final squad for two friendlies on home soil next month – which will serve as World Cup preparations – we look at three players who must impress the Belgian on Saturday to potentially claim a spot in Broos’ 23-man squad in a few days.
Patrick Maswanganyi – Orlando Pirates
Maswanganyi remains a fan-favourite at Pirates. This is all thanks to his dribbling and silky touches, which keep "The Ghost" on the edge of their seats at the stadium.
However, a decline in form and injuries have led to a setback in the past few months. As a result, he did not make the final squad for AFCON – an omission he conceded he had expected, given he hadn’t featured much for Pirates at the time.
After being involved in the team set-up in recent matches, including contributing in front of goal, Maswanganyi is hitting the right notes at the right time. This is especially true since teammate Sipho Mbule, who had jumped him in the pecking order for Bafana, has struggled for game-time since the restart.
Maswanganyi will also look at the derby as his stomping ground, having recently shown Big Match Temperament (BMT) in the fixture by scoring a late Panenka penalty to hand Pirates all three points.
Lebone Seema – Orlando Pirates
Seema is in his first full season at Pirates, but he has hardly looked out of place. He has cemented his spot in the heart of defence, previously alongside Mbekezeli Mbokazi and now alongside Nkosinathi Sibisi.
With Mbokazi and Sibisi both Bafana Bafana internationals, coach Hugo Broos would not mind taking a well-established club partnership into the national team, especially given the fierce challenges they will face at the global showpiece.
Seema boasts his own qualities. He makes timely tackles, reads the game well, and delivers accurate passes – both long and short – thanks to his execution and passing vision.
At just 22 years of age, Seema still has his best days ahead of him, but that does not mean he cannot swim with the sharks given the opportunity. An opportunity he would seize by helping his team keep a clean sheet against Amakhosi.
Lebohang Maboe – Kaizer Chiefs
Maboe hasn’t only been on the road to form recovery at Chiefs, but he is finding his feet as well, the son of former footballer Sidwell Maboe endearing himself to most of the Amakhosi faithful in recent weeks.
While he is naturally a holding midfielder, Maboe has shown abilities to track back and exploit space as his feet dance with the ball, weaving past defenders like a magician. His contribution hardly goes unnoticed, as fans yell at the bench when he is pulled off for tactical reasons.
Having turned 31 in September, Maboe brings experience and guidance to Amakhosi – invaluable characteristics that could aid the team’s chances of finishing in the top three this season.
Maboe, though, will know that he cannot drop his tempo and form heading into the Soweto derby – a clash he must have longed to compete in during his junior days at the club.
*Mihlali Baleka is Independent Media's senior football reporter and a panelist on the group's soccer podcast, The D-Line, which is exclusive on our YouTube channel The Clutch