Johannesburg — BAFANA Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane still knows very little about Niger and is struggling to gather information about the little-known West Africans ahead of the opening 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit next Saturday.

Mosimane has spent the past few weeks scratching around for information and is becoming increasingly concerned as time is running out ahead of the qualifier.

"Niger are still a closed book and I have done my best trying to get intelligence about them," the Bafana coach said.

"I have sent out my scorpions and they have come back with very little. I do not know what to expect from this team and it (information) is just not happening.

"The only thing I know is that they have two dangerous strikers that could be a handful.

"One of those strikers is Moussa Maazou who was playing for CSKA Moscow in Russia, the last I heard.

"He is a tall, big striker and we should be very careful around him. The other striker played against SuperSport United in continental competition and I am happy that (United defenders) Morgan Gould and Bongani Khumalo at least got a chance to face him before tackling him in his national team."

Maazou reportedly joined France club Bordeaux on a loan deal after transferring from CSKA this week.

While he is widely regarded as the most high-profile Niger player, he is yet to score a goal for his national team after earning five caps. Mosimane warned that Bafana could ill afford to kick off their qualifying campaign with anything less than a victory and exit Mbombela Stadium in defeat.

"It is important for us to get three points against Niger. I expect it to be a very difficult match because I do not think that they will come here to lose. That means they may try to play for a point away from home.

"So we need to put ourselves in a strong position after our first qualifying match because the big boys are coming.

"We still have to tackle (group rivals) Sierra Leone and kings of Africa Egypt, and we know that it is going to be tough. We have not forgotten that Sierra Leone beat us and we then drew with them (when they were in the same qualifying group for the 2010 African Nations Cup)."

Mosimane named a 25-member squad that he said was a continuation of his plan to slowly introduce youngsters while phasing out the veterans from the national team.

Moroka Swallows' 20-year-old defender Keegan Ritchie must be pinching himself after his performances in his debut campaign in the premiership last season were rewarded with a Bafana call-up.

Ritchie was one of several youngsters who were given a golden opportunity by Mosimane yesterday.

SuperSport United's new striker Kermit Erasmus, Belgium-based midfielder Daylon Claasen and Orlando Pirates' Happy Jele joined Andile Jali, who has already been anointed as a definite starter in the 2014 World Cup if he keeps his feet on the ground.

"Slowly but surely we will combine youth with experience. While we are still on our continuity process, we have to ensure that we retain the credibility of the national team.

"This is a gradual inclusion of youngsters and we certainly do not want to throw them into the deep- end. We need to take things slowly with them and not put them under pressure early on."

Only the group winners are guaranteed of qualifying to the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations and Mosimane is well aware that his employers will not allow him to keep his job if he is not able to get Bafana to the event.

BAFANA BAFANA SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs), Moeneeb Josephs (Orlando Pirates)

Defenders: Morgan Gould, Bongani Khumalo (both SuperSport United), Siboniso Gaxa (Mamelodi Sundowns), Tsepo Masilela (Maccabi Haifa), Siyabonga Sangweni (Golden Arrows), Innocent Mdledle, Happy Jele (both Pirates), Aaron Mokoena (Portsmouth), Anele Ngconca (Tracing Genk), Keegan Ritchie (Moroka Swallows)

Midfielders: Daine Klate, Teko Modise, Andile Jali (all Pirates), Siphiwe Tshabalala, Reneilwe Letsholonyane (both Chiefs), Macbeth Sibaya (Rubin Kazan), Steven Pienaar (Everton), Thanduyise Khuboni (Arrows), Daylon Claasen (Lierse FC)

Strikers: Sthembiso Ngcobo (Chiefs), Katlego Mphela (Sundowns) and Bernard Parker (FC Twente) and Kermit Erasmus (SuperSport)