Cape Town - Shakes Mashaba has confirmed that Bongani Ndulula suffered a hamstring injury and needed to be substituted at half time.
Read Here: Finishing a 'worldwide problem' - Shakes
Mashaba was confronted by the media regarding the decision to withdraw the AmaZulu striker at half time.
The coach was quick to rule out Ndulula not playing well with the 64-year-old leaping to his player's defence
“Ndulula had a hamstring, he pulled a hamstring,” said Mashaba.
“I wouldn’t have pulled him out.”
“I am definitely sure that one of the chances we had, with the composure that his got in the box, he would of buried one.”
Ndulula looked uncomfortable in the last 20 minutes of the first half but managed to play on until half time when Mashaba decided not to risk him and brought Tokelo Rantie on in his place.
Mashaba's side next face Congo, a side with two wins so far in their qualifying campaign, away from home October 11 and return to South Africa for the home leg on October 15.
Bafana Bafana are in second position in Group A, just two points behind Congo but more importantly three points ahead of the Super Eagles after the opening two matches.