Lyle Lakay could well be the man Hugo Broos chooses at left back against Morocco. Picture: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images.
Terrence Mashego believes Bafana Bafana have enough cover to cope at left back after he was ruled out of the squad for Thursday’s Africa Cup of Nations clash with Morocco in Rabat.
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The Cape Town City man has a tear in the meniscus of his knee and has had to return home to South Africa.
“It is a very bad situation, but I think it is not a bad injury … I believe I will heal fast,” Mashego told Safa media.
“I was looking forward to this game, but we still have Lyle Lakay and Innocent Maela who I am sure will do the job. I must just focus on my injury and making sure I come back.”
Lakay will be favourite to take up the role, after a campaign in which he won the DStv Premiership defender of the Season with Mamelodi Sundowns. It was Lakay who started in Bafana’s last match too, the 5-0 friendly defeat to France at the end of March.
Lakay believes the game against France, and the class of player they faced, will help Bafana against Morocco, who are the second-ranked team on the continent and boast players from all over the European leagues.
“I took a lot out of the game against France,” said the Sundowns man.
“Even with Morocco, the majority of the team is Europe-based. I think (Ashraf) Hakimin is in the team (Hakimi is one of the best wing backs in the world, and currently at Paris St Germain). But I think we are up for the task. With the game plan the coach has … we can come away with a result.”