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PSL goalkeeper turns down Bafana Bafana call-up

Cape Town - Bafana Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki has revealed how Polokwane City goalkeeper Cyril Chibwe rejected a call-up to the national side in favour of Zambia.

After Bidvest Wits goalkeeper Brandon Petersen withdrew from the squad with injury over the weekend, Ntseki was hoping to call-up Chibwe, but the 26-year-old Bakgaga shot-stopper opted for his father's country Zambia.

Bafana had the forced withdrawal of Bidvest Wits goalkeeper Brandon Petersen due to injury over the weekend and had hoped to invite Polokwane City's Cyril Chibwe as a replacement.

Chibwe enhanced his reputation with a man-of-the-match performance for Rise and Shine as they handed Absa Premiership log leaders Kaizer Chiefs a 1-0 defeat.

Bidvest Wits reserve goalkeeper Ricardo Goss has been called up instead and Ntseki shed some light on the situation regarding Chibwe.

"We made a small research on Cyril Chibwe from Polokwane City, and he's a South African, born in North West, and we sent a call-up for him to join us for this camp," explained Ntseki.

"Unfortunately, he will be playing for his father's country, which is Zambia. So, he will be joining the Zambian team in camp and that is why we have Ricardo coming in - they are the same age, born in 1993.

"I think maybe he [Chibwe] was approached long before us, maybe they made the necessary preparations for him to join the Zambian team because if he did not have a Zambian passport, they would have had to do the necessary documents for him in order to play.

"But I think it is a good thing, we also have some players playing overseas that we feel they need to come and play for Bafana Bafana, and we are also in the process of talking to them, their parents and their clubs so they can have South African citizenship and play for the national team."

Sunday's kick-off is at 15:00.

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