South Africa’s preparations for the decisive 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying fixtures have suffered another setback, with two more players ruled out of action.
Hannover defender Ime Okon, who has Nigerian roots through his father, and Orlando Pirates midfielder Patrick Maswanganyi have both withdrawn from the Bafana Bafana squad.
Head coach, Hugo Broos, has responded by handing late call-ups to Sipho Mbule and Thabo Moloisane as cover.
Frustrated by the mounting list of absentees, Broos admitted the buildup has been far from ideal.
“This is one of the most difficult preparations I’ve had since I’ve been the coach of Bafana Bafana. We have many injuries to important players,” the Belgian tactician said.
Bafana Bafana will first travel to face Lesotho on Friday before returning home to Bloemfontein, where they will host Nigeria at the Free State Stadium next Tuesday.
Despite the setbacks, the 1996 African champions remain in a strong position, currently sitting top of Group C with 13 points from six matches.
