The head coach of South Africa’s senior national team, Bafana Bafana, Hugo Broos, has announced that winger Thapelo Maseko will play no part of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations because of an injury he suffered.
The Mamelodi Sundowns elusive winger injured his hamstring during extra time of the quarterfinal match against Cape Verde.
“A little update on the injured player Thapelo Maseko – he has a grade three muscle injury, so the tournament is over for him,” confirmed Broos.
“But he stays with us, so he doesn’t go back to South Africa [immediately], and we won’t replace him. There are too many issues with [getting] a visa, a flight, and if we were to replace him, the player would arrive when? Thursday, or worst case maybe Friday?
“So, we don’t want to do that, and we even have opportunities to solve that problem in the squad, so for that [reason] Thapelo will not be replaced, but the tournament for him is finished.”
In order to go to the Africa Cup of Nations final for the first time since finishing second in 1998, South Africa will want to defeat the Super Eagles of Nigeria.