South Africa’s starting lineup for their World Cup qualifier against Nigeria will be missing a key defender as Bafana Bafana center-back Grant Kekana is out due to injury and has been replaced by Given Msimango of Kaizer Chiefs.
Both sides are expected to clash on Friday at the Godswill Akpabio international Stadium in Uyo.
Kekana played a crucial role in South Africa’s defense during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations featuring for the entire duration of the games against Namibia, Tunisia, Morocco, Cape Verde and their semifinal loss to Nigeria.
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Msimango, on the other hand, is looking to earn his first cap for the national team after a strong season with Kaizer Chiefs where he made 30 appearances in all competitions.
Despite Kekana’s absence, the rest of the South African squad is healthy and began training on Monday in preparation for the important match against Nigeria.
“There is one change to the initial squad announced by Coach Hugo Broos. Due to injury, Grant Kekana has been released and Given Msimango has reported for duty!” the South African Football Association (SAFA) wrote on their official social media platforms.
