Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has lamented the absence of Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Themba Zwane as the national team prepare for the last round of 2025 AFCON qualifiers.
Broos' charges will be looking to secure Africa Cup of Nations qualification when they take on Uganda and South Sudan in the latest and last round of qualifiers for the continental showpiece.
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Bafana will have to do it without several key players as both Zwane and striker Lyle Foster are out of action due to injuries.
'Mshishi', as the Sundowns star is affectionately known, underwent surgery for an Achilles injury that will sideline him for an estimated four to five months, while Foster suffered an injury to his left knee.
Speaking on SABC Sport after announcing his final 23-man squad, the Belgian said he was hopeful the 34-year-old would still be in top condition when he returned to action.
"Themba is something different," Broos said.
"It's maybe the biggest mistake I made here in South Africa not to take him from the first minute.
"He is not only a good player but a good human being and when he came the first time to the team, I explained to him why he was not with us from the beginning. I think he is not a stupid guy, he understood it and maybe he could say that: 'Coach, you were right at that moment', but I gave him full confidence from the beginning. I asked him to play in a certain way.
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"So, Themba, for us, is the man who has to play between the lines. I never tell him: 'You have to do this and that', I just tell him to play between the lines.
"Since he has been with us, he has become better and better. I said it some time again, we have to look, little by little, at replacing Themba because at one moment, it will be finished. He is 35 already.
"That [injury] is the last thing I wanted, to have an injury like this, and I pray to God that he will be fine again after the injury. Really, I pray, because Themba doesn't believe that. Certainly not."
Bafana will temporarily be based at the Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto, where they will begin preparations for their penultimate qualifier match against Uganda away.
The match will be played on Friday.