Needing all the help they can get on the evidence of their insipid 2-0 defeat against Nigeria on the weekend, Bafana Bafana were on Monday urgently seeking to rehabilitate their walking wounded before the vital second African Nations Cup qualifier against Equatorial Guinea at the Super Stadium on Saturday.
And team doctor Ephraim Nematswerani is working hard to ensure the indisposed Teko Modise, Lerato Chabangu, Benson Mhlongo and Itumeleng Khune are candidates for selection.
Nematswerani said on Monday that he was happy with the progress made by midfielder Modise and striker Chabangu.
”Modise has responded well to the three-day programme we prescribed for him,” said the Bafana doctor, ”and the blister on the sole of Chabangu’s foot is healing well.”
Goalkeeper Khune, withdrawn from debacle in Abuja at the 11th hour after reportedly suffering an attack of asthma, had lung function tests taken and the results are currently still awaited — although, it needs to be noted, replacement Rowen Fernandez was one of the more impressive Bafana players against the Super Eagles.
Utility defender Mhlongo and fullbacks Bryce Moon and Tshepo Masilela, who incurred calf-muscle and hamstring injuries respectively against the Nigerians, will all undergo fitness tests on Tuesday.
But Bafana’s prodigal son, Benni McCarthy, remains a non-candidate for Bafana’s four opening African Nations Cup qualifiers — Sapa