Molefi forced to ring changes as Fifa make quarantine ruling
Mothobi Mvala, Thabang Monare, Vincent Pule and Thabo Nodada could form a newlook Bafana Bafana midfield.
The four were named among the six players replacing those who pulled out of the two crucial Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers Bafana will play against Ghana at the FNB Stadium on Thursday and in Khartoum against Sudan next Sunday.
Molefi Ntseki, the Bafana coach, also called Maritzburg United striker Thabiso Kutumela and Lebohang Maboe of Sundowns to take the slot of Kermit Erasmus of Sundowns and SuperSport United’s Bradley Grobler, who are injured.
With Keegan Dolly, Dean Furman, Thulani Serero and Bongani Zungu out as a result of a Fifa rule that clubs are not expected to release players if there is a mandatory period of quarantine or self-isolation of at least five days upon arrival from international matches, Ntseki had to bring in Sundowns’ Mvala, Pule and Monare from Orlando Pirates and Nodada from Cape Town City.
The absence of Furman, Zungu, Dolly and Serero, who have been regulars in the Bafana midfield over the past two years, could see Nodada and Mvala drafted into the starting lineup against Ghana in the second-last Afcon qualifier that Bafana must win to qualify for next year’s Afcon in Cameroon.
Bafana are level with Ghana on nine points in Group C, but with a tricky away tie against Sudan next Sunday, Ntseki would prefer to wrap up qualification with a victory against the Black Stars.
If Bafana lose to Ghana, whom they last beat two decades ago in an official match, they will let in Sudan, who are almost certain to take the three points at bottom-placed Sao Tome and Principe, also on Thursday. Sudan are third in the group with six points.
“We’re disappointed that we’re not going to get all the players we had in our last camp. The Sao Tome match really prepared us for the difficult times like this because going into those matches we had to make eight changes,” said Ntseki.
“When you look at the current team, our best three midfielders are all out. So we’ll have to use new players who will be expected to have a typical understanding.”
Ghana were also dealt a severe blow by the Fifa ruling and will face Bafana without the services of defender Jeffrey Schlupp, striker Jordan Ayew of Crystal Palace and skipper Andre Ayew of Swansea City.