Bafana Bafana Suffers Another Injury Blow

Bafana Bafana suffered yet another injury blow ahead of their final Group C clash against Ghana at Mongomo Stadium on Tuesday as midfielder Oupa Manyisa was ruled out with injury.
Kick-off is at 8pm SA time, live on SS4 HD and live streaming on supersport.com.

The SA Football Association (Safa) announced via Twitter earlier in the day that the Orlando Pirates star sustained an injury knock at training on Monday. The player was included in the match day squad as a substitute. However he withdrawn after failing to recover for the match.
Bafana Bafana experienced a few injury setbacks in this Africa Cup of Nations. First young defender Rivaldo Coetzee was forced out of the opening match against Algeria due to injury. Then Thulani Hlatshwayo also suffered the same fate in the second match against Senegal. He will also miss the game against Ghana.

Meanwhile, Bafana Bafana coach Ephraim Shakes Mashaba said their clash with Ghana would be a very interesting match for various reasons.
Bafana Bafana and the Black Stars go into this encounter needing a victory to enhance their chances of qualification into the quarterfinals.
After two matches, South Africa is bottom of the table with just one point following a draw with Senegal. They lost their opening match to Algeria.

Ghana is third on the standings with three points after their famous victory over the North Africans having lost their first 2-1 to Senegal, who top the group with four points. Algeria is second with three points.
Senegal and Algeria meet in the other Group C clash in Malabo and the two matches kick off simultaneously.

Bafana Bafana will have to hope for a Senegal victory, but will have to defeat Ghana to stand any chance of progressing to the last eight.
“It’s going to be a tough match no doubt, and the good thing is all four teams in the group are not sure of qualification until the final whistle. But we are prepared and we are very serious that we want to win this game. If we just convert the chances we create, and score at least three goals then we can wait comfortably for the result of the other group match,” said Mashaba.
“Most people say, and I agree with them, that had we scored that penalty we would have made a difference but world class players also miss penalties and we are not going to crucify Rantie for that miss against Algeria because these things happen. Also sitting here counting what could have been doesn’t help anymore.
What we are looking forward to is to make sure we motivate our boys for the final game of the group stages and make sure that we win our game.”
Ghana has never beaten South Africa in an AFCON match.
“No we are not going to entertain that, don’t forget that in everyone’s life there is a first time so this might be their first time they beat us. Secondly, football is not like arithmetic where you talk about therefore, yes it has been said that the nation that doesn’t know their background will perish. We know they haven’t beaten us but we are living in the current and swallowed by the moment and it will be a good thing to maintain that record that Ghana hasn’t beaten us,” said Mashaba.

Mashaba has also warned that those expecting an open game as both teams play an almost similar style of football might be in for a surprise.
“It is going to be a game full of caution, it is not a kind of game where you throw everything at the other team and remain vulnerable at the back. But it is going to be an interesting game, it is going to be an end to end game because they will want to score and we will want to score. The one who scores first will become comfortable, with the pressure decreasing but both teams will be looking at scoring early,” added Mashaba.
“We have respect for Ghana. For them to be here means they worked hard and they are a good side, they deserve to be here. We will give them the respect they deserve but come 90 minutes we will lose respect for each other and see who is going to come out tops.”

The players are also aware of what is at stake.
“We have been working on what we need to improve on, looking at the past two games. We have had talks among ourselves and hopefully it will be showing in the game. It would be great for all the fans of Bafana Bafana and all our followers to celebrate victory.
“We know how much it means to them, we value their support and all messages on social media as well as the Minister of Sport who is over here to support us and bringing messages of good luck from back home. We want to give them a team that will make them celebrate, we know what is at stake and we want to make our nation proud of us,” said captain Dean Furman.

The England-based midfielder says like all teams in the tournament they also feel the pressure.
“Pressure is on every team in this tournament, every nation expects to win, all the fans want their team to go all the way and we are no different. There is definitely pressure on us whether we show it or not. We know what is at stake and we know how much rides on tonight’s match. There is no doubt we are fully focused and we definitely won’t be taking this game lightly,” added Furman.
“Ghana is a very good team. They have very good players and also have a very good record in AFCON and we know all about that but tonight’s game is 90 minutes – and it’s going to be a fight out there. No one will dwell on the past or on the history. When that whistle goes we will be thinking about our jobs, we will be thinking about what the coach’s instructions are, we will be thinking about winning the game and that’s all that’s important to us.”

South Africa XI: 1-Brilliant Khuzwayo (GK), 6-Anele Ngcongca, 11-Thabo Matlaba, 2-Rivaldo Coetzee, 3-Eric Mathoho, 15-Dean Furman (C), 5-Andile Jali, 7-Mandla Masango, 18-Thuso Phala, 23-Tokelo Rantie, 9-Bongani Ndulula
Subs: 16-Darren Keet (GK), 22-Jackson Mabokgwane (GK), 21-Ayanda Gcaba, 13-Thamsanqa Sangweni, 19-Themba Zwane, 12-Reneilwe Letsholonyane, 8-Bongani Zungu, 17-Bernard Parker, 4-Siyabonga Nhlapho, 10-Sibusiso Vilakazi.
Injured: 14-Thulani Hlatshwayo, 20-Oupa Manyisa.

-Super Sports