CAPE TOWN – Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter must be thinking that forces beyond his control must be at play after yet another stalwart was sidelined through injury on Monday.
The latest casualty from the squad named for Saturday’s 2019 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Libya is Hlompho Kekana.
The Mamelodi Sundowns captain limped off just after halftime of Sunday’s MTN8 defeat to Cape Town City with a knee injury.
The Bafana camp confirmed via Twitter on Monday afternoon that Kekana had been withdrawn, which comes a few hours after Themba Zwane (toe) and Bongani Zungu (knee) were also ruled out.
Further injury troubles are ahead for Baxter, as French-based striker Lebo Mothiba has a hamstring problem and is in doubt… and it doesn’t end there either!
SuperSport United duo Dean Furman and Bradley Grobler are also “nursing knocks”, and could miss out on Saturday’s clash at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
Baxter has already called in some reinforcements, with Vincent Pule of Orlando Pirates, SuperSport’s Aubrey Modiba and Tiyani Mabunda of Sundowns replacing Zwane, Zungu and Kekana respectively.
@BafanaBafana midfielder Hlompho Kekana withdrawn from squad, bringing to 3 number of players out of the team after Bongani Zungu & Themba Zwane, all due to injuries. France-based Lebo Mothiba now also in doubt, while Dean Furman and Bradley Grobler are nursing knocks @SAFA_net