Bafana Bafana have suffered an injury blow ahead of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying opener against Guinea, with Lebohang Maboe withdrawn from the squad and Tshepang Moremi called up as his replacement.
Maboe arrived in camp on Sunday night after picking up an ankle injury while playing for Kaizer Chiefs over the weekend.
Following scans on Monday, Bafana team doctor Dr Tshepo Molobi confirmed that the midfielder would not be able to continue with the national team during the current FIFA international window.
“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,” Dr Molobi said.
Maboe’s withdrawal leaves Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane with one fewer option as the national team prepares for its opening AFCON qualifier.
Mosimane has moved quickly to bolster his squad, confirming that a call-up letter for Orlando Pirates midfielder Tshepang Moremi has been sent to the club.
Moremi could now join the Bafana camp as Mosimane prepares his team for Saturday’s clash with Guinea at Orlando Stadium.
The match is scheduled to kick off at 15:00 as Bafana begin their qualifying campaign for the 2027 AFCON tournament.
Moremi’s call-up provides the Orlando Pirates midfielder with an opportunity to make an impression on the national team setup as Mosimane deals with Maboe’s late withdrawal.
For Maboe, the injury comes at an unfortunate time after he had been selected as part of Mosimane’s squad for the opening qualifiers.
Bafana will now turn their attention to Guinea, with Mosimane expected to assess his available options before naming his team for Saturday’s encounter.
The national team will be aiming to make a positive start to the qualifying campaign on home soil, while Moremi will hope his late inclusion can lead to his Bafana debut.
