Rustenburg - Tefu Masha-maite’s dream season is set to continue in the colours of Bafana Bafana against Congo in Pointe-Noire on Saturday.
Coach Shakes Mashaba confirmed on Tuesday that Belgium-based defender Anele Ngcongca has not arrived in camp after his club Racing Genk said he picked up a knee injury and will have to go for a scan. The Cape Town-born player lasted the full 90 minutes in Genk’s league match against Anderlecht at the weekend.
Ngcongca is the second defender to pull out of the Bafana squad for the 2015 African Cup of Nations qualifiers against the Congo - the second match will be played next Wednesday at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.
Ajax Cape Town youngster Ayabulela Magqwaka injured his calf in a friendly match last week and withdrew from the Bafana squad on Monday.
On Tuesday night Mashaba called up 25-year-old Wits defender Siyabonga Nhlapo to replace Ngcongca in the squad.
Bafana will certainly miss Ngcongca’s experience at the back, especially in Pointe-Noire, after he played a senior role in an inexperienced back-four in the victory over Sudan and the draw against Nigeria.
“We got an e-mail from the team that he is injured, and they will be taking him for a scan,” Mashaba told the media at the team’s training base at the picturesque and ultra-modern Royal Bafokeng Sports Campus.
“He is not going to be with us for the upcoming matches. We are considering getting a replacement, and will let you know later because we can’t mention names until we have notified the club.”
Ngcongca’s absence will give Mashamaite an opportunity to transfer his exceptional club form to the national team, and even cement his place for the rest of the qualifying campaign.
Mashamaite, who made his Bafana debut against Lesotho last year, has formed a solid partnership with fellow Bafana centre back Eric Mathoho in Kaizer Chiefs’ unbeaten start to the season, while he also scored the vital goal to dispose of bitter rivals Orlando Pirates in the final of the MTN8.
That partnership will also give Mashaba a sense of continuity at the back after his defensive line kept two clean sheets in the first two matches of their qualifying campaign.
“(Ngcongca’s injury) is not really a setback. We have 26 players in the squad and we have back-up in each and every position to make sure we are not running short and have a team to represent the country very well,” Mashaba added.
The coach was on Tuesday tight-lipped about the captaincy ahead of the match and said he would only be making a decision - or reveal his choice - either on Friday or on the day of the game.
Goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa, who did a superb job between the posts in the first two matches, was given the armband against Sudan and Nigeria.
Mashaba seemed happy with his leadership and praised the Orlando Pirates shot-stopper for his displays, and the way he handled the responsibility of guiding an inexperienced team in their first two qualifiers.
“I will let you know, in this team we always give enough time to think about a captain,” the Bafana coach said.
“We need players who exert authority. Even the goalkeeper must be an organiser.
“It’s not the job of a captain to argue every decision the ref makes on the field.
He needs to be a link between the bench and the players on the field. He must be a player who is well-respected.”
Meyiwa didn’t want to talk about the captaincy on Tuesday, and only said “if they ask me, I’m always ready to captain the team”.
Meyiwa, though, has had a memorable last couple of years and has established himself as one of the top goalkeepers in Africa. He has taken advantage of Itumeleng Khune’s injury and is doing his best to hold on to the starting position.
The Bucs shot-stopper was particularly impressive in Pirates’ run to the African Champions League final, making a few good saves, which included some crucial penalty stops.
“I think what happened last year in the Champions League boosted my confidence, and I have grown from there,” Meyiwa said.
“So, coming to national level, it’s the same thing that I went through at Pirates.”
Cape Times