Bafana Bafana confirmed team news: History-making winger unavailable for selection against Nigeria 

Talented Mamelodi Sundowns winger Thapelo Maseko has been ruled out of South Africa's semifinal clash against Nigeria at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, manager Hugo Broos confirmed at the pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

Maseko suffered a hamstring injury during Bafana Bafana's shootout win against the Blues Sharks last weekend and additional tests carried out afterwards confirmed everyone's worst fears that he will not play again in the 2023 AFCON. 

The SuperSport United product is the youngest player manager Hugo Broos took to Ivory Coast for the Africa Cup of Nations. 

When  Maseko netted his first-ever international goal in Bafana Bafana's 4-0 rout of Namibia in the group stage, he etched his name into South Africa's history books as the youngest Bafana Bafana player to score at the Africa Cup of Nations, aged 20 years and 71 days, breaking the record set by the legendary Benni McCarthy twenty-six years ago. 

Broos has explained why it does not make sense to call up a replacement for the injured Maseko.

He told reporters: "A little update about the injured player Thapelo Maseko. So, he has a muscle injury, Grade 3.

"So, the tournament is almost finished, but he stays with us. He doesn't go to South Africa and we don’t replace him conference. 

"And we don’t replace him. There are problems with the visa and flights. If we should replace him, the player will arrive on Thursday or, in the worst case, maybe Friday.

"So, we don’t want to do that, and we have the opportunity to solve the problem in the group. For that, Thapelo will not be replaced but the tournament for him is finished."

South Africa's main strength heading into the semifinal fixture against Nigeria is their coach Hugo Broos who has won the AFCON before and also the team's togetherness with ten Mamelodi Sundowns players named in the squad. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

Photo Credit: safa.net 

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