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Bafana send goalkeeper SOS

Johannesburg - Bafana Bafana made an 11th hour SOS call to AmaZulu for their goalkeeper Brilliant Khuzwayo on Thursday.

The last minute inclusion was caused by the late enforced withdrawals of three Kaizer Chiefs players.

They are number one keeper Itumeleng Khune, captain Siphiwe Tshabalala and fellow midfielder Reneilwe Letsholonyane.

The trio were asked to remain behind by their club with Chiefs football manager Bobby Motaung asking for "fair treatment" since players from fellow league challengers Ajax Cape Town and Orlando Pirates had not been called up.

Speaking on a popular sports radio show on Wednesday evening, Motaung also claimed that the SA Football Association (SAFA) did not follow proper communication channels when calling up the players.

The team left for Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania on Thursday afternoon with one keeper in the uncapped Wayne Sandilands from Mamelodi Sundowns.

According to the side's media officer Matlhomola Morake, Khuzwayo, 21, is expected to link up with the rest of the squad on Friday.

This is Khuzwayo's first call up to the senior national side having represented South Africa at junior level.

"There will be no replacements to the in-field players but we have called up Khuzwayo to be the second keeper," said Morake.

"He is expected to arrive in Tanzania later than the team and should link up with the rest of the side tomorrow."

AmaZulu team manager James Dlamini said that they were now waiting for final details from SAFA including flight details with the player likely to leave in the evening or Friday morning.

"SAFA have inquired about Khuzwayo and chances are he will leave tomorrow, we still waiting for something official," Dlamini said.

"This is good for the player, credit will go to his club coaches and national Under-23 coach Shakes Mashaba.

"Khuzwayo is only 21 and for him to be a part of the national team and work with coach Pitso Mosimane will do him great."

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