Siyabonga Ngezana: Hugo Broos Faces Major Concern As Bafana Bafana Star Risks Missing World Cup

Bafana Bafana centre-back Siyabonga Ngezana is facing a tense countdown in his bid to be fit for the World Cup after being scheduled for knee surgery.

The 28-year-old defender reportedly experienced discomfort in the build-up to his Romanian side FCSB’s Liga 1 fixture against Botoșani, which led to his withdrawal from the matchday squad. Subsequent MRI scans revealed damage to his meniscus.

FCSB coach Mihai Stoica later suggested that Ngezana may have been carrying the injury for a while, choosing to play through the pain in order not to risk his place in the national team during a crucial World Cup year.

Confirming the situation, Stoica told Soccer Laduma that Ngezana will go under the knife and is expected to be sidelined for approximately six weeks due to the meniscus problem.

The coach added that the player’s recent dip in form had puzzled the technical team, but the discovery of the injury finally explained the sudden decline, as Ngezana had been competing while not fully fit.

Read also

Thabo Bester challenges transfer to eBongweni Super Max facility, South Africans mock his bid

As a result, the defender is expected to miss Bafana Bafana’s upcoming international friendlies against Panama, set to take place between 27 and 31 March. However, if his recovery stays within the projected timeframe, he will still have sufficient opportunity to prove his readiness to national team coach Hugo Broos ahead of the World Cup in North America.

Although the timing of the injury is far from ideal, Ngezana will be hoping that a successful procedure and rehabilitation process will allow him to regain full fitness in time for the tournament.

Given his experience and strong performances prior to the setback, the next few weeks will be decisive as both FCSB and Bafana Bafana monitor his recovery, with the defender aiming to secure a spot in the final World Cup squad.

Source: Briefly News