Bafana Bafana dealt double injury blow ahead of Eritrea clash

Bafana Bafana faces a significant blow to their squad as head coach Pitso Mosimane confirmed that both Teboho Mokoena and Aubrey Modiba are ruled out through injury for their upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Eritrea. Both players have not trained since arriving in Cairo following a 2-1 win over Guinea at the Orlando Amstel Arena.

Modiba was substituted in the second half due to injury, while Mokoena played through discomfort before the final whistle. Despite pulling hard to finish the match, scans have now confirmed that both are indeed injured and unavailable for the Group D qualifier. This leaves Mosimane with limited options as he seeks to build upon their strong start to the campaign.

Alternatives include Samukele Kabini in defense and Bathusi Aubaas, Sphephelo Sithole or Relebohile Mofokeng in midfield, with Mofokeng potentially moving into a more forward role. Both injured players have remained with the squad for treatment, but their chances of playing in Sunday's friendly against Egypt are minimal according to the doctors.

Mosimane acknowledged the loss of these two crucial players but emphasized that their contributions throughout the campaign made their absence difficult to quantify.