South Africa dealt double blow! Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns players withdraw ahead of Afcon clash

Amajita captain Asekho Tiwani suffered an injury during their 1-0 loss to hosts Egypt at the Cairo Stadium in their opening Afcon U20 match. The setback forced the Mamelodi Sundowns defender to travel back home, leaving a void in the team’s defence.

He was joined back in South Africa by Kaizer Chiefs’ Naledi Hlongwane, who faced registration issues that ruled him out of the tournament. Both withdrawals have left Raymond Mdaka’s side depleted at a critical stage.

Mdaka addressed the situation, saying the team must accept and adapt to the challenges. He also gave an update on Tiwani’s injury, stating that medical advice made it impossible for him to continue.

The coach expressed disappointment but remained focused on moving forward with the squad at hand.

“With the captain, it might not be so bad, but it’s something that cannot heal now, that’s the challenge, so we had to release him,” confirmed Mdaka as quoted by the SABC Sport as reported by Farpost.

“It’s something that might take more than three weeks, we’re not sure, but from the doctor’s side, it’s something that he can’t immediately play now.

“It’s the biggest blow because we had him and Mbekezeli [Mbokazi], and I would know that I’m rock solid at the back, but we can’t cry, it’s a situation that happens in football, and we’ll see how we go forward without them.”

While the withdrawal of Tiwani and Hlongwane is a blow, it also opens the door for other players to step up. Although replacements haven’t been announced, Mdaka may be forced to reshuffle his squad to maintain competitiveness.

The team has already been hit by club-related absences, with key players like Orlando Pirates’ Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Club Brugge’s Shandre Campbell unavailable. Despite the setbacks, Mdaka remains determined to guide Amajita through the tournament and qualify for the Fifa U20 World Cup in Chile later this year.

The current situation highlights the need for stronger coordination between clubs and age group national duty.

They take on Tanzania in their second group match. This will be Ngorongoro Boys first game of the tournament.