Hugo Broos confirms Bafana Bafana injury blow ahead AFCON semi-final

Maseko pulled up with a hamstring injury during extra-time of their quarter-final clash against Cape Verde on Saturday evening, and was immediately replaced despite himself coming on as a substitute during the second half of regulation time.

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The 20-year-old, who had featured in all of Bafana's AFCON matches so far – including a start in the opening defeat to Mali – prior to his injury, will sadly miss the semi-final against Nigeria and the subsequent final or third-place play-off encounter this coming weekend.

"A little update on the injured player Thapelo Maseko – he has a grade three muscle injury, so the tournament is over for him," confirmed Broos.

"But he stays with us, so he doesn't go back to South Africa [immediately], and we won't replace him. There are too many issues with [getting] a visa, a flight, and if we were to replace him, the player would arrive when? Thursday, or worst case maybe Friday?

"So, we don't want to do that, and we even have opportunities to solve that problem in the squad, so for that [reason] Thapelo will not be replaced, but the tournament for him is finished."

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