University of Johannesburg: UJ players and staff to reinforce SA national football teams

The University of Johannesburg’s (UJ) progressive Football Club continues to produce quality players and staff for professional leagues and national teams. This month, five players and three staff members from the club were invited to represent South Africa’s national teams in the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) Women’s Championship and the 2023 African National Championship (CHAN) Qualifiers.

The two camps will take place from 28 August to 12 September 2022 (COSAFA) and 28 August 2022 and 4 September 2022 (CHAN) against Angola.

UJ senior women’s football team assistant coach, Nthabeleng Modiko, will join the Banyana Banyana’s B team as the assistant coach. Video analyst, Oriel Bangani, and Goalkeeper Coach, Lucky Shiburi, have joined the Bafana Bafana camp to prepare for the 2023 CHAN Qualifiers. They depart for Angola on Friday, 26 August 2022. The away match will be played in Luanda, Angola and the second game played at Orlando Stadium in South Africa.

Players Refilwe Maseko, Dineo Magagula, Sphumelele Shamase will be in the national women’s B team with Coach Modiko while twin sister Thubelihle Shamase makes the Banyana Banyana A team.

“This is the biggest thing for me and I’m very grateful that my talent has been recognised by our national team. Honestly speaking, this comes as a shock to me because I didn’t expect to be selected,” said Magagula, Transport Management second-year student. She was the University Sports South Africa (USSA) 2017-2019 Goalkeeper of the Year.

In the past, Shiburi served in the national Under-20 boys team as well as Bafana Bafana and Banyana Banyana.

“National duty is important to me. It means that I’m recognised in my country and chosen from millions of people to serve the country. It’s an honour,” says Shiburi, who joined UJ Football women’s team late July 2022.