Bafana Bafana forward Oswin Appollis will be eager to score in front of his home fans at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Tuesday.
Image: BackpagePix
CAPE Town’s silky footballers have long provided the attacking stimulus for Bafana Bafana.
From the erstwhile days of Mark Williams, Shaun Bartlett, Quinton Fortune and, of course, Benni McCarthy, it is the men from the fairest Cape that have provided the goals and assists that have carved out the most magical of memories for the national football team.
The legacy has dimmed in the current era but the talent reservoir has not run dry with Oswin Appollis still flying the flag proudly.
Apollis may be plying his trade at Soweto giants Orlando Pirates, but the Bafana forward is a true-blue Capetonian, having been born-and-bred on the Cape Flats of Bishop Lavis, and is a product of the former Ajax CT youth academy.
The 24-year-old is comfortably Bafana’s most influential player, having netted his eighth international goal against Panama last Friday at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. He also has a further eight assists for 16 goal contributions in 24 appearances, since being handed his Bafana debut by coach Hugo Broos back in 2023.
It is a phenomenal return for a young player that has already endured the depths of professional football — like when he was released by SuperSport United and did not have a club and was forced to return to Cape Town.
An intervention was required, and it arrived in the shape of former SuperSport United Diski Challenge coach, Kwanele Kopo, who rescued Appolis from a barren future. Kopo breathed fresh life into Appollis’ career, with the youngster revitalised and subsequently earning moves to Polokwane City and then Pirates.
Bafana captain Ronwen Williams has been part of the Bafana winger’s journey since he joined Matsatsantsa as a 17-year-old and is both relieved and elated with the way Appollis’ journey has transcended.
“It’s amazing. It shows the type of person he is and the character,” Williams said on Monday, ahead of Bafana Bafana’s friendly against Panama at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Tuesday (kick-off 7.30pm).
“I think three years ago, he was without a team. And he was going through it. I had a lot of chats with Oswald. Because we shared so much. Our backgrounds, the communities where we come from.
“Obviously, I was his captain at Supersport United as well, and to see where he is now, amazing. You can just praise him ... In today's world, it's very difficult to be a professional.
"He's been consistent, I think, for the last two, three years. For the national team as well.
“I'm just happy to see that he isn't one of the negative stories that's in South Africa, that we have so many of. He's one of the positive ones.”
Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams embraces Oswin Appollis.
Image: BackpagePix
Williams also had motivational words for other Cape Town-born Premiership stars such as Jayden Adams, Iqraam Rayners and Fawaaz Basadien that have all fallen out of favour with Bafana coach Hugo Broos since joining PSL champions Mamelodi Sundowns.
Adams has since been recalled for the Panama friendlies, coming on as a substitute in Friday’s clash at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
“Sometimes it needs to come from yourself,” Williams said.
“You need to have that fight within you. I think that's what Jayden realised during AFCON. I'm sure when he watched those games, you know his heart was there, in Morocco with us.
“Once I got back to the team (Sundowns), I saw a different Jayden. I mean, you can see it in his performances now. Similar to Iqraam, where he wasn't in a good space, but he wasn't also happy that he was not part of the national team.
“You saw him when he got his chance. He was banging in goals again ...
“We can advise, we can talk to you, we can motivate you, but you need to find it within you. I think a lot of players need that inner fight in themselves.
"Look inside of the mirror and ask, why did I start this? Why did I sacrifice so much things?
"I sacrificed because I wanted to make a name for myself. I want to play for my national team. I want to play AFCON, I want to play the World Cup. Sometimes, you know, we all look for help from outsiders, when the help you really need is from yourself.”
A sold out crowd is expected at DHL Stadium on Tuesday, as Bafana continue their preparations ahead of the Fifa World Cup in June.