The hopes of Orlando Pirates captain Innocent Maela participating in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) are hanging in the balance due to an injury.
Maela, who has been a key player for both Pirates and Bafana Bafana has been out of action since September and is now racing against time to recover in time for AFCON.
The 34th of AFCON is set to be hosted in Ivory Coast next year in January and February with Bafana in Group E alongside Mali, Namibia and Tunisia.
SA will take on Mali on 16 January before tackling neighbours Namibia on 21 January. In their last group stage, Bafana will play against Tunisia on 24 January.
According to SN24 sources, Maela recently underwent surgery to address his recent injury. The procedure was successful, and the Bafana left-back is currently in recovery.
While the surgery was a success, the 31-year-old Maela may not recover in time for the AFCON tournament, which would be a major setback for Bafana and coach Hugo Broos.
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In the absence of Innocent Maela, Bafana coach is relying on Mamelodi Sundowns versatile player Aubrey Modiba in the position as there is no natural left-back in the current SA squad for the World Cup qualifiers.
Modiba played at left-back when Bafana beat Benin 2-1 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers on Saturday at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
However, Modiba is a doubt for the upcoming World Cup qualifier match against Rwanda on Tuesday. It will be interesting to see how Bafana will line up for the crucial game.
Bafana will be hoping that Maela will be able to recover in time for the AFCON, but they are also preparing for the possibility that he will not be available.
Orlando Pirates’ medical team will work closely with Bafana’s to continue to monitor Maela’s progress and make a decision on his inclusion in the AFCON squad.