Shalulile and Hotto in ‘dilemma’
The pair of Peter Shalulile and Deon Hotto could be in difficulty at the end of the season with Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates squaring off in the Nedbank Cup final.
How so?
Shalulile and Hotto have been included in Namibia’s squad for two 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers coming at the end of a demanding season.
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The pair – who have been the mainstay of the Brave Warriors for years – are expected to lead their national team for games against Liberia on June 5 and then Tunisia six days later.
There is also the business of the 2024 COSAFA Cup in June.
What could pose a challenge is that they will be carrying heavy legs considering how much football they have already played this season.
Shalulile has already played 34 games this season for Sundowns, while Hotto is on 38 for Pirates.
They both played every minute of Namibia’s four games at the AFCON finals in January.
This leaves Brave Warriors coach Collin Benjamin with keen interest about what will happen in the period from now until the next FIFA calendar break.
Sundowns still have six league games to play, plus the Nedbank Cup final, with Shalulile chasing Siyabonga Nomvete’s all-time scorers record of 123 goals.
Shalulile is on 114 goals playing for a top-league South African club.
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Hotto (33) has contract-related matters to play for at Pirates, where he has already played an incredible 163 games with a return of 21 goals since arriving from Bidvest Wits in September 2020.
Of concern is that he was stretchered out injured after 19 minutes in Pirates’ last match against Chippa United.
Brave Warriors squad:
Goalkeepers: Lloyd Kazapua, Edward Maova, Jonas Mateus,
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