Kaizer Chiefs midfield magician, Jabu Pule, who put on a five-star performance against Madagascar on Sunday, forms part of Jomo Sono's strong Bafana Bafana squad for the World Cup which was announced on Tuesday.

Many were disappointed when the hugely-talented Chiefs linkman

missed out on the Africa Cup of Nations but now Pule has been given

the opportunity. He is seen as possessing the required talents to

reinforce Bafana's midfield.

As expected, though, Sono's 23-member team does not contain any

major surprises. Most of the players are those who did duty in Mali

early this year.

Swiss-based striker George Komantarakis, who last played for

Bafana Bafana in 1999 in the Nike Cup, made the final cut after

leading marksman Shaun Bartlett pulled out because of a recurring

knee injury.

The lanky striker is expected to form a deadly partnership with

either FC Porto's Benedict McCarthy or Udinese's Siyabonga Nomvete.

Former captain Lucas Radebe, who miraculously recovered from a

career-threatening knee injury which sidelined him for nearly two

years, just made it on time for the final selection. Radebe, who

has been kicking his heels for the better part of the season,

probably owes his selection to his vast experience.

Radebe's old partner Mark Fish, however, will not be part of the

squad.

The exclusion of Mbulelo Mabizela, who hardly made a splash at

the ACN, was expected in many quarters and Cyril Nzama was tasked

to do the job at right back.

At left back, the South Africans can bank their hopes on the

hard-working Bradley Carnell, who received the nod ahead of

Russian-based Jacob Lekgetho. The former Moroka Swallows star

defender narrowly missed the ACN because of a last minute injury.

Apart from Pule, Copenhagen's Sibusiso Zuma will also be a

pivotal cog in the middle of the park. The midfield arsenal

includes Delron Buckley, Thabo Mngomeni, Teboho Mokoena, McDonald

Mukansi, Benard Mnguni and Quinton Fortune.

Sono could have been forced to consider the latter after

Manchester United coach Alex Ferguson expressed confidence in the

somewhat out of form Fortune for their English Premiership league

decider against Asernal in midweek.

Steven Pienaar, who has taken Holland by storm with his exploits

at Ajax Amsterdam, has also been justifiably roped in. Pienaar is

the youngest player in the team. Sono's last line of defence is

fair. It comprises seasoned campaigners in Hans Vonk, Andre Arendse

and Calvin Marlin. Vonk, the Heerenveen reliable goalkeeper is

Sono's first choice goalkeeper and is likely to wear the captain's

armband in the absence of Bartlett.

Full squad

GOALKEEPERS:

Calvin Marlin (Ajax Cape Town),

Hans Vonk (Heerenveen),

Andre Arendse (Santos)

DEFENDERS:

Aaron Mokoena (Germinal Beerschot),

Pierre Issa (Watford),

Thabang Molefe (Cosmos),

Matthew Booth (Sundowns),

Lucas Radebe (Leeds United),

RIGHT BACK/MIDFIELD:

Cyril Nzama (Kaizer Chiefs),

LEFT BACK/MIDFIELD:

Bradley Carnell (VfB Stuttgart)

RIGHT MIDFIELD:

Sibusiso Zuma (F C Copenhagen),

Jabu Pule (Kaizer Chiefs),

MacDonald Mukansi (Lokomotiv Sofia),

CENTRAL MIDFIELD:

McBeth Sibaya (Cosmos)

Thabo Mngomeni (Orlando Pirates),

Bernard Mnguni (Lokomotiv Moscow)

LEFT MIDFIELD:

Delron Buckley (FC Bochum)

Quinton Fortune (Manchester United),

BEHIND STRIKERS:

Steven Pienaar (Ajax Amsterdam),

Teboho Mokoena (St Gallen)

CENTRE FORWARDS:

Siyabonga Nomvete (Udinese),

Benedict McCarthy (FC Porto)

George Koumantarakis (FC Basle)