Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has heaped praise on an Orlando Pirates star who has received his first call-up to the senior national team.
On Thursday, Broos named his final 23-man squad for upcoming friendlies against Eswatini and Ivory Coast as part of the preparation for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).
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The speedy defender has been an unsung hero in the on flanks for The Buccaneers in recent months, making 31 appearances in a double title winning season for Pirates.
Paseka Mako was the happiest person at the Moses Mabhida Stadium after the #MTN8 final ???? pic.twitter.com/POexagTQRh
— SuperSport Football ?? (@SSFootball) November 7, 2022
Speaking at the Bafana Bafana squad announcement on the day, Broos explained his inclusion of the 29-year-old.
"First of all he's [ Mako] better than last season. He plays good at the moment for Orlando Pirates, he's quick and he's very aggressive in duals, [that is] what I like because he is a defender," said Broos.
"He is very offensive also, this is always a quality, if you have that quality in your team, it's also very important.
"Defensively he's not bad, not at all, the only thing maybe you can tell is that he's not a tall player. That can maybe sometimes be a problem if you're playing against teams with tall players. Certainly, as a defender that's maybe the only negative thing about him.
"But, I think certainly with the injury of [Innocent] Maela, he deserved to be with us," Broos added.
Bafana take on Eswatini on Friday, 13 October.
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