Cassius Mailula picks Bafana star he’s thrilled to share dressing room with 

Cassius Mailula has picked a Bafana Bafana star he’s thrilled to share the dressing room with ahead of the AFCON qualifier tie against Liberia on Friday.

Mailula is part of the Bafana squad called up by Hugo Broos, thanks to the stellar season he is having at Mamelodi Sundowns.

After making his debut in October 2022, the Sundowns academy prodigy has netted an impressive 14 goals and provided four assists in all competitions. 

IT CAME AS A SURPRISE

With the national Under 23 side in action this week, Mailula had thought he would be with Coach David Notoane.

However, Bafana mentor, Broos, had other ideas, insisting on his belief that the 21-year-old is ripe for senior team action.

“For me, I think it came as a surprise because I didn’t expect to pop up so early. I thought that I would actually be in the Under 23 [squad].

“But for me, it was actually good that you know someone can see my hard work, so I was actually happy, and I was actually so excited and so ready that hopefully, I can also even make it to the 23-man squad,” Mailula told Bafana media officer, Romy Titus.

On his second day in camp, Mailula singled out the one player he had always dreamt of playing with.

Interestingly, at the start of the season, he had singled out Themba Zwane as that player. But going into the national team, he picked a different player.

CASSIUS MAILULA PICKS BAFANA STAR

“It was actually good to see people I was actually watching and admiring, and being on the same pitch with them was amazing. 

“I never thought it would come so early, and with God’s grace everything happens in its own time,” Mailula said.

When asked who that particular player was, he named a man who went through the same path as him via the Sundowns academy. 

“Percy Tau. I always wanted to play in the same team as him and on the same field. Firstly, it was Mshishi. But I’m playing him in my team. I just wanted to one day play with Percy Tau.

“I’m so happy that finally it’s happening,” he concluded.

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