Cape Town - Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter has revealed a cancer scare he endured during his side's AFCON 2019 qualifying campaign.
Baxter on Tuesday named his squad for this year's showpiece in Egypt, and during his press conference he opened up on some disturbing news he had received ahead of South Africa's trip to Libya in their final qualifying match back in March.
"Before we went to Libya (the game was actually played in Tunisia) the doctor told me that he thought I had got cancer," Baxter told media.
"I went to Tunisia and said 'no, I don't want to get tested ... I've got a game to play and I don't want that in my mind.
"It was bloody difficult trying to coach a team when you think you could have cancer.
"I got back and they did the tests and it was okay, thank goodness."
Bafana, meanwhile, open their AFCON campaign when they take on Ivory Coast in Cairo on June 25.
BAFANA BAFANA AFCON SQUAD:
Goalkeepers
Darren Keet (Wits), Ronwen Williams (SuperSport United), Bruce Bvuma (Kaizer Chiefs)
Defenders
Daniel Cardoso (Kaizer Chiefs), Rivaldo Coetzee (Mamelodi Sundowns), Ramahlwe Mphahlele (Kaizer Chiefs), Thulani Hlatshwayo (Wits), Buhle Mkhwanazi (Wits), Sifiso Hlanti (Wits), Innocent Maela (Orlando Pirates), Thamsanqa Mkhize (Cape Town City)
Midfielders
Bongani Zungu (France, Amiens), Hlompho Kekana (Mamelodi Sundowns), Themba Zwane (Mamelodi Sundowns), Tiyani Mabunda (Mamelodi Sundowns), Dean Furman (SuperSport United), Kamohelo Mokotjo (England, Brentford), Thulani Serero (Netherlands, Vitesse FC), Thembinkosi Lorch (Orlando Pirates), Keagan Dolly (Montpellier, France), Fortune Makaringe (Maritzburg United), Ben Motshwari (Orlando Pirates)
Forwards
Lebo Mothiba (France, Strasbourg), Percy Tau (Belgium, Royal Union Saint), Lars Veldwijk (Netherlands, Sparta Rotterdam), Lebogang Maboe (Mamelodi Sundowns), Sibusiso Vilakazi (Mamelodi Sundowns), Kermit Erasmus (Cape Town City)
*Pending Passport - Nikolas Tavares (England, Crystal Palace) and Joel Untersee (Switzerland, FC Zurich)
The @BafanaBafana senior national coach, Stuart Baxter reveals his cancer scare before the #afcon2019q against Libya this year @cgtnafrica #BafanaBafana #afcon2019 pic.twitter.com/Yroe1EJtgN
— Sias du Plessis (@siasduplessis) May 21, 2019