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Bafana Bafana

Mosimane turns to Pirates star as Maboe replacement

Bafana Bafana have suffered a fresh selection headache just days out from their AFCON qualifying opener, with Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Lebohang Maboe forced out of the squad through injury.

Maboe has been withdrawn from Bafana Bafana’s camp with an ankle injury, with Pitso Mosimane calling up Orlando Pirates’ Tshepang Moremi as cover ahead of the Guinea qualifier.

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Maboe reported for duty on Sunday night carrying an ankle knock picked up in Chiefs’ draw with Golden Arrows, and scans the following day confirmed he wouldn’t feature at all during this window. Team doctor Dr Tshepo Molobi explained the decision on SAFA’s official website.

“He twisted his ankle while playing for Kaizer Chiefs and after undergoing a scan, he will be ruled out from the current camp and this FIFA window,” Molobi said.

He’d been Amakhosi’s sole representative in Mosimane’s original 30-man selection. In his place, Orlando Pirates’ Tshepang Moremi has been handed a recall, having missed out on the initial squad despite starring at the World Cup, where he set up Thapelo Maseko’s winning goal against South Korea.

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South Africa host Guinea at Orlando Stadium on Saturday, kicking off at 15:00, before travelling to face Eritrea in Egypt four days later and closing out the window with a friendly against the hosts on 4 October.

Photo: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images

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