Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane has explained why he had to substitute left-back Aubrey Modiba during Saturday’s 2027 AFCON qualifier against Guinea at Orlando Amstel Arena.
South Africa beat the West Africans 2-1 in this Group D affair, thanks to goals in either half by defenders Ime Okon and Samukele Kabini. Interestingly, Kabini found the target after coming on for Modiba, who walked off the pitch while clutching his hamstring.
That sparked fears that the Mamelodi Sundowns left-back might have suffered serious injury. The strain came after Modiba was stretched by industrious Guinea winger Aliou Balde.
Balde had been well contained by Man of the Match Kamogelo Sebelebele while operating on the left wing in the first half. But the second period saw the St Gallen FC wideman manning the right flank, where he tormented Modiba.
PITSO MOSIMANE ON WHY HE SUBSTITUTED MODIBA
Fitness concerns have already hit Mosimane’s camp, first affecting Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Lebohang Maboe, who has to be released, before defender Nkosinathi Sibisi also suffered an injury.
Now, Modiba became an injury scare against Guinea as Bafana now prepare to face Eritrea in Egypt on Wednesday.
“Aubrey is overloaded, my full-backs were on duty today. So, Aubrey is overloaded, but we have Kabini. Sebelebele is younger, and he can take the load. This guy can run all the time,” Mosimane addressed journalists after the match at Orlando Amstel Arena.
“Aubrey has got a tight hamstring, which is not nice for us, but at least we still have [Fawaaz] Basadien, and we still have Kabini, hence 30 players. So you can see now, people are falling off, and we have just played one match
“So, I know it’s not easy for the football association to be giving me 30 players. But if you want to be at that level and the results, because this is the reality.”
‘I’M NOT JURGEN KLOPP’: MOSIMANE ON HIS BAFANA SQUAD SIZE
The current three-week FIFA international period will see South Africa playing three matches, with an international friendly match against Egypt on the cards after the Eritrea match. That has seen Mosimane opting to have 30 players in camp.
“So I don’t call 30 because I choose to call 30. Jurgen Klopp called 42 players. He has four friendly games,” the former Al Ahly coach added.
“I couldn’t do four because I don’t want the coach at Glasgow [Rangers, Olwethu Makhanya’s club] to be angry with me and upset with me that I’m playing four games and all that.
“But Jurgen Klopp can do that. I’m not Jurgen Klopp. It’s not easy. But I also want to forge relationships with the teams and give them the players before the FIFA break ends so that when I ask for a favour, they should also return the favour. So, I would like to play four.”
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