Photo Credit - Mamelodi Sundowns Media.
Mamelodi Sundowns left-back Aubrey Modiba is the latest player to leave Bafana Bafana camp in Polokwane as South Africa prepares for the next two FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin.
The 29-year-old left-back was among players summoned by coach Hugo Broos for the vital matches but according to the Belgian trainer, Modiba was forced to pull out after his wife gave birth on Tuesday.
“I think it's a long time ago and the first time that our camp that 23 players are present. I lie a little bit because there is one player who's not there, it's Aubrey Modiba but he's got to do something more important than being on camp with the national team,” explained Broos as quoted by SABC Sports.
“So, his wife gives birth this afternoon, I think he has to be present as a father that's why Aubrey is not there but he will join us later in the evening. Again, I think those things are more important in life than a qualification game for a World Cup."
However, Broos maintained that Bafana’s focus is to collect six points from the two matches: “It's a key moment I said already before that we can achieve two victories against Benin and Lesotho, I think we can make a big qualification. Certainly, also taking into account other games.
“We will try to do it, on the other side, we know that it will be tough and difficult games, first of all with Lesotho. Lesotho is really a team, they are fighting for each other, they are fighting for each metre and every ball and they are playing against South Africa.
“So, I think they can always do something more against South Africa than against other teams so again it will be a tough game.”
At the start of Bafana’s camp in Polokwane on Monday, Broos was forced to drop Orlando Pirates midfielder Patrick Maswanganyi, who reported to residential training with an injury to be replaced by Polokwane City midfielder Ndamulelo Maphangule.
Bafana will host their COSAFA neighbours Lesotho at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, Limpopo, on Friday before they travel to Ivory Coast to face Benin six days later.
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