Pirates’ international call-ups Ouaddou ahead of final

ORLANDO Pirates face a unique challenge ahead of the MTN8 final as seven of their players returned from international duty on Wednesday with the showdown set for today, while Stellenbosch started preparations with Bafana Bafana’s Thabo Moloisane the only one missing.

- SMISO MSOMI

From Pirates Bafana called up Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Oswin Appollis, Kamohelo Sebelebele, Thalente Mbatha, Sipho Chaine, and Relebohile Mofokeng.

While Chaine and Mofokeng did not feature against Lesotho or Nigeria in the World Cup qualifiers, their presence with the national team still meant missing training sessions with Pirates.

Deon Hotto joined Namibia for their fixtures.

Players returned to their teams on Wednesday ahead of a crucial final, leaving Pirates with limited time to manage recovery and reintegration.

Former Bafana defender Morgan Gould weighed in on the delicate balance of physical and psychological readiness for players returning from international duty.