Vela Khumalo, the coach of the Bafana B side that will take part in the 2025 Cosafa Cup in Bloemfontein, was pleasantly surprised at the sharp condition his players arrived in on Monday ahead of their opening game against Mozambique on Wednesday.
The Kaizer Chiefs youth coach, who also steered the South African under-17s to their age group Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal last month and qualification for the U-17 World Cup, will take charge of the Bafana emerging combination at the Cosafa Cup.
Khumalos side that takes the field in their in their Group A opener at Free State Stadium 3pm could more accurately be called an Emerging B.
Bafana coach Hugo Broos is taking charge of the senior team in friendlies against Tanzania and Mozambiques senior side in Polokwane on Friday and next Tuesday with a squad missing his Mamelodi Sundowns contingent and including a host of new faces as he casts his net wide for talent.
As usual for the Cosafa Cup or Chan, the South African developmental team has been hastily put together. Khumalo was named coach only late last week and the squad, consisting mostly of Betway Premiership clubs fringe players, assembled on Monday with two training sessions available to prepare for the opener.