Bafana face three games in a week
Bafana Bafana could have to play three matches in a week later this year to haul in fixtures postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Bafana will have three matches to catch up after Fifa at the weekend cancelled all international matches scheduled for June. They were to host the Black Stars of Ghana on June 6 in a top-of-the table clash in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying group.
Bafana have already seen March’s two group C qualifiers against Sao Tome e Principe at home and away postponed.
Fifa is planning‚ reports say‚ to press national teams to catch up quickly and ensure the international calendar gets back on track before the end of 2020.
As the calendar stands now‚ SA must play Sudan away in September in their last Cup of Nations group C qualifier and then in October and November begin their World Cup qualifying campaign against Ethiopia‚ Ghana and Zimbabwe.
But the fixture list is to be shifted out‚ leaving Bafana having to play Sao Tome (twice) and Ghana in a seven-day spell between September 2-8 and then Sudan and‚ possibly‚ their opening two World Cup qualifiers from October 7-13.
That will put the qualifying calendar back on track with a further World Cup qualifier set for November.
Three matches in seven days in September would mean Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki would need to select a bigger squad and use more players.
The coach could save his best XI for the Black Stars and play the two games before that against Sao Tome with second stringers. They would still be fancied to win against the tiny island nation.
Ghana must play Sudan twice before taking on Bafana.