Orlando Pirates defender Tercious Malepe admits that he is surprised by earning a call-up to the Bafana Bafana setup ahead of the Cosafa Cup.
The 20-year-old, who is yet to make his debut for the Buccaneers, has provisionally been named in the Bafana Bafana squad alongside teammates Sandile Mthethwa and Innocent Maela.

The hard-tackling midfielder also captained the South African national U20 team, where he made four appearances and netted a goal during the U20 World Cup.

Now, being provisionally selected for the Bafana Bafana setup, Malepe believes he is edging closer to realising his dream of playing for the national team.

‘This call-up came as a surprise, but a pleasant surprise at that. We (players) all dream of representing our countries and personally this call up is one step closer to me realising my dream,’ Malepe told his club’s official website.

‘I am grateful for the call-up. I want to represent my country at all levels and this call-up has just motivated me even more,’ he added.

‘I believe the experience I have gained playing for the national team at U20 level will help me a great deal to adjust and become an even better player.’

Bafana Bafana enters the Cosafa Cup in the quarter-finals and will take on the winners of Group A on 2 July.

The match at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium kicks off at 17:00.