MANCHESTER City winger Riyad Mahrez hopes he can continue a successful streak by helping Algeria win the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt during July.
The 28-year-old started in the FA Cup final at the weekend as City completed an English treble by trouncing Watford 6-0 after winning the Premier League and League Cup.
“It is 29 years since Algeria won the Cup of Nations and I want to be part of the team that repeats that feat,” he said after collecting his third winners’ medal of the season.
Meanwhile, South Africa coach Stuart Baxter has named his pre-Africa Cup of Nations training squad, including a return for Cape Town City forward Kermit Erasmus.
Erasmus won the last of his 14 caps almost two years ago, but is among six forwards selected to camp ahead of the tournament.
Others include Percy Tau, who remains an injury concern, and Netherlands-based Lars Veldwijk, who has netted 24 goals so far in the Dutch second-tier.
The defenders have a settled look about them, while midfielders Bongani Zungu and Keagan Dolly, both of who have missed a large portion of the French Ligue 1 season, have been included.
So have the Orlando Pirates duo of Thembinkosi Lorch and Ben Motshwari, as well as Pirates-bound Maritzburg United midfielder Fortune Makaringe.
Dolly has also been included in the squad for the Cosafa Cup as he seeks to get game-time ahead of the final selection.
The team will assemble on the weekend of 1 June and will camp in Johannesburg before leaving for the United Arab Emirates on June 12.
They will play two friendlies there, one against Ghana and the other versus an unnamed North African opponent, before heading to Egypt on June 16.
Bafana’s tournament opener is against Ivory Coast on June 24. – AFP
