After Bafana Bafana midfielder Sphephelo Sithole was stretchered off the field with what appeared to be a horrible injury in the AFCON qualifier against South Sudan, KickOff brings you the latest on his situation.
Sithole had to be substituted after a horrible tackle with 18 minutes remaining in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in South Sudan and although his replacement Thalente Mbatha went on to score the winner in stoppages, which handed Mzansi a 3-2 win, there were concerns over the Gil Vicente man's injury.
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After the game, a picture emerged on social media, where the 25-year-old was in one crutch and balanced by teammate goalkeeper Ricardo Goss, as he walked with a heavily bandaged leg, also alongside Siyabonga Ngezana.
SAFA subsequently released a statement, saying the extent of the player's injury would be determined once the team arrived back home on Wednesday evening.
"The extent of Sphephelo Sithole's injury will be determined upon landing in Johannesburg after the midfielder was stretchered off the pitch during Bafana Bafana's 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against South Sudan on Tuesday," read the statement.
"Coach Hugo Broos' charges beat the home side 3-2 at Juba National Stadium, but the win came at a cost as Sithole suffered the injury in the second half.
"The Bafana Bafana medical department will determine the extent of the injury after the team returns to South Africa on Wednesday night."
Following the arrival on Wednesday, SAFA could not disclose the extent of Yaya's injury, though they indicated Dr. Tshepo Molobi had engaged President Dr. Danny Jordaan about it.
"Bafana Bafana returned home from South Sudan tonight," SAFA confirmed on their social media pages on Wednesday.
"SAFA President Dr. Danny Jordan and NEC member Job Mchunu were at OR Tambo International Airport to welcome the team.
"Dr. Tshepo Molobi gave the SAFA President an update on Sphephelo Sithole's injury in Juba yesterday," the Bafana social media page stated, without going into details.
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This website dug deeper and has since established that Sithole has suffered a broken leg.
However, although the injury looks quite serious, he is expected to be out for only two to three months.
The 25-year-old made a good start to his new club Portuguese club Gil Vicente, after featuring off the bench in their first two games against Porto (3-0 loss) and AVS (4-2 defeat) respectively.
He was an unused substitute in two back-to-back goalless draws against Estoril and Sporting Braga, though.