Menzi Magubane
Bafana Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki has been forced to make last-minute changes to his team line up.
This comes after South African teams used a Fifa Covid-19 ruling as an excuse to prevent the coach from selecting them for national duty.
Ntseki is expected to call up replacements for Thulani Serero, Bongani Zungu, Keagan Dolly and Dean Furman who have not been released by their teams.
Ntseki is expected to announce replacements for each of these players after Sunday’s DStv Premiership matches.
Due to current Covid-19 rules, players who would travel for the games in Africa will now have to go complete a 10-day quarantine upon their return to their overseas-based clubs.
On Thursday, Bafana face Ghana in the African Cup of Nations Group C qualifiers at FNB Stadium in Soweto at 6pm.
The good news for Ntseki is that Percy Tau is expected to be available for this match. Tau has not been getting game time at Brighton in England and the club has released him.
Other players that Ntseki has managed to get on board are Isreal-based Siyanda Xulu and the three Portugal-based Thibang Phete‚ Luther Singh and Lyle Foster.
Ghana and Bafana are tied up in Group C with nine points each.
Black Stars are on top on goal difference and Thursday’s match could decide who takes the group and qualify for 2022 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon. On Wednesday Sudan, who are third in the group with six points, will take on Sao Tome.
Sudan are expected to win which will pile-up pressure on Ghana and Bafana at the top.
After the Ghana match, Bafana will travel to Sudan for both teams’ final match of the group on Sunday. On the same day, Black Stars will host Sao Tome.
Picture source: @BafanaBafana
