Bafana Bafana coach, Gordon Igesund, has announced some changes to his squad that are due to fly out to Australasia for the friendly matches against Australia and New Zealand. 
The national team has been rocked by some late withdrawals from the squad in recent weeks due to injury – the latest players to have pulled out are the Kaizer Chiefs trio of Itumeleng Khune, Bernard Parker and Siphiwe Tshabalala.

European-based defenders, Siyanda Xulu and Kagisho Dikgacoi earlier withdrew due to injury, and at the moment it seems as if Igesund will be taking something of a skeleton squad for the Down Under tour. The games against Australia and New Zealand are not Fifa-sanctioned, meaning that players don’t have to make themselves available to go on tour.

Nonetheless, at a press conference held earlier today at OR Tambo airport in Johannesburg, Igesund outlined his plans to compensate for the unavailable players.

He told the assembled press corp, “I think it was important to call a press conference to let everyone know what is happening. Originally I called up 18 players and there were 11 withdrawals due to injuries, and other reasons. Some clubs were not willing to release certain players as well. I mean we only found out about some of them on Monday night.”
Igesund added, “I can confirm that players that are out are Oupa Manyisa, Thabo Matlaba, Itumeleng Khune, Kagisho Dikgacoi, Tsepo Masilela, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Bernard Parker, Andile Jali, Siyanda Xulu and Sibusiso Vilakazi. In their place I’ve called up Hlompho Kekana for ‘KG. Senzo Meyiwa for Khune. Thuso Phala for ‘Shabba’, Thato Mokeke for Masilela. Kermit Erasmus for Parker and Eric Mathoho for Xulu. I also called up Vilakazi to replace Jali but then he later got injured. In his place I’ve called up Teko Modise instead. I wanted to acknowledge Teko’s form by calling him up, you know.

The national team coach concluded, ‘”Our team doctor is also going to assess Manyisa and Matlaba after this conference. We will then know if they will be able to play or not.”

Bafana are scheduled to take on Australia on 26 May and then New Zealand on 30 May.
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