The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is just four months away, and Coach Hugo Broos faces the tough task of possibly travelling to Morocco without one of his key players, Themba Zwane.
Morocco will kick off the tournament against Comoros on December 21 after the opening ceremony, while Bafana Bafana start their Group B campaign against Angola the following day.
Coach Broos is expected to name a strong 23-man squad, typically led by several Mamelodi Sundowns stars alongside a few Orlando Pirates players.
However, Bafana’s captain and Downs midfielder, Themba Zwane, suffered an injury during an MTN8 match against the Buccaneers last Saturday, and was stretchered off the field.
Zwane, affectionately known as ‘Mshishi’, has unfortunately been battling injuries, with an ACL injury in October last year sidelining him for nearly six months.
This recent setback puts him in a race against time to make the continental tournament, where he played a pivotal role in South Africa’s qualification.
His coach, Miguel Cardoso, expressed optimism: “Unfortunately, Themba will be out for about two months. But we’re confident he will come back strongly and as quickly as possible. When the injury happened, the club did everything to fast-track his recovery.” After Sundowns secured a 2-0 win over Magesi in the Betway Premiership, Cardoso added, “Every player is part of this family. When a player isn’t at 100%, it’s a big blow for the team. But we believe Themba will return stronger, and everyone else will need to rise up to cover for those absent.”
