Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena has slammed Bafana Bafana technical for Aubrey Modiba’s injury. Modiba picked an injury in the just ended FIFA international window. The defender featured in the nation’s first 2026 World Cup Qualifiers Group C encounter against Benin at home on Saturday before playing the entire 2-0 loss versus Rwanda on Tuesday.
Despite feeling some pain ahead of the second match in Rwanda, Modiba featured for the entire ninety minutes playing on an unsuitable waterlogged artificial turf at Huye Stadium in Butare.
“I’m a bit disappointed because Modiba came back from international break with an injury,” Mokwena said, as cited by IDiski Times, in his Friday’s presser ahead of the Champions League game against Nouadhibou of Mauritania.
“And the information I get is that there was already the pain and he still had to play 90 minutes on an artificial turf like that in Rwanda, with the rain and all of that with an injury.
“Now we might have Modiba out for a little bit more time. Mothobi (Mvala) now comes back also from Bafana with an injury, so that also for me is always a worry because I haven’t had Mothobi Mvala on the pitch today – it was the first session for the Bafana players.”
The gaffer added: “So from a periodization perspective it’s very difficult because we gain some players like Lucas [Ribeiro], Peter [Shalulile] and Sipho Mbule, which is fine but then we also lose some players now with Modiba and Mvala.
“But okay, we’ve tried to give some rest, some time especially for the players to spend some time on their families because we’ve been on the road for so long.”
Source soccer24
