2019 AFCON: Five injured Bafana Bafana players resume training

Only two of Bafana Bafana’s seven players with niggling injuries – Tokelo Rantie and Rivaldo Coetzee – did not train with the team on Tuesday morning ahead of Saturday’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Super Eagles of Nigeria in Uyo.

Among other players who arrived in camp with niggling concerns were defender Mulomowandau Mathoho‚ midfielders Andile Jali‚ Tiyani Mabunda and Aubrey Ngoma‚ and forward Lebogang Manyama.

Bafana coach Stuart Baxter said the duo were set to be tested in training in the afternoon session.

The coach said if striker Rantie and centreback Coetzee did not train in the afternoon‚ a call would have to be made on whether they would travel with the team to Nigeria.

“It’s good news really because all but Tokelo and Rivaldo trained this morning” Baxter said on Tuesday.

“We’re going to try and get them activated in the afternoon. If they do that successfully then all of the players will trained before we depart for Nigeria‚ which means that we’ll have a full squad to choose from. I think some of these injuries players have been carrying for a long time.

“And the players probably thought that they would just keep on playing. The doctor (Bafana team doctor‚ Thulani Ngwenya) wanted to make sure that they were 100 percent. And it was really Tokelo and Rivaldo who we were more worried about. But they’ve responded well to treatment‚ and we will try and test them out this afternoon.

“If they are not 100 percent then‚ then we have to make a call on that one. Can they be involved at all‚ or do we call I a couple of players in instead of them? I think they are going to be OK. Because if they’re close to training this afternoon‚ then maybe in another 24 hours they could be 100 percent.”