Orlando Pirates striker Zakhele Lepasa has withdrawn from the Bafana Bafana squad for the upcoming friendly match against Ivory Coast due to injury, it was announced on Sunday.
It is unclear when Lepasa picked up the injury, but he was in action when Bafana were held to a disappointing goalless draw in an international friendly by Eswatini on Friday at FNB Stadium.
The Bafana technical team decided not to call up a replacement for Lepasa, as coach Hugo Broos believes he has enough attackers.
Bafana will face Ivory Coast in a friendly match on Tuesday at the Stade Félix Houphouët Boigny in Abidjan as they continue their preparations for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations set to start in January next year and 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in November.
ZAKHELE LEPASA’S BAFANA WITHDRAWAL EXPLAINED
Bafana team doctor Thabo Maleka has revealed that Lepasa sustained a knee injury, and the Orlando Pirates striker has left the camp.
“Lepasa is struggling with a left knee overuse injury, which could have been exacerbated again by the recent games and training,” said Maleka.
“And on the eve of travelling (to Ivory Coast), the injury became worse and therefore necessitated that he does get some investigation to find the degree or severity of injury to inform treatment.”
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Maleka also confirmed that Lepasa is getting medical attention at the Soweto giants as he returns to the club.
“He is already in the care of the medical team (at Pirates),” added the Bafana team doctor. “They have already started the necessary treatment for that particular injury that he’s having. And that is why he’s not with us today.”
Lepasa’s withdrawal from the Bafana squad is a blow to the team, as he is one of their key players. However, the team has several other talented strikers, such as Lyle Foster, and they will be confident that they can still perform well against Ivory Coast.