The injury curse that seems to be all consuming to Keagan Dolly has struck again.
The 26-year-old Bafana Bafana star has been ruled out of Sunday’s Cosafa Cup clash against Botswana in Durban (3pm).
According to the Safa website, Dolly picked up another hamstring strain during training on Friday ahead of the clash at the Princess Magogo Stadium.
“Keagan had a groin discomfort during training,
and we have decided to withdraw him from the Cosafa tournament as a precaution.
We will scan him on Monday so that we make a determination regarding the Afcon,”
said team doctor Thulani Ngwenya.
The former Mamelodi Sundowns had requested to be part of the South African team at the regional event in order to help him gain further match fitness ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
Bafana’s first match is against the Ivory Coast on 24 June (4.30pm SA time).
Dolly has battled back from a broken leg, and encountered further complications in his recovery, which saw him make just four first team appearances for his French club Montpellier.
He was ruled out of the last Afcon qualifier against Libya in March due to a hamstring issue, but stated that he had featured for his club’s reserve team in recent weeks before joining the Cosafa Cup camp.
He played one half of a training friendly against Zambia on Wednesday.
“It feels good to be back. After the season I had, it was a bit difficult because it was the first time I go through something like that. I am just trying to get back to my normal self and get fit again,” Dolly was reported as saying on Thursday.
South Africa’s 🇿🇦 Keagan Dolly has been replaced in their squad for the 2019 #COSAFACup after he sustained an injury in practice on Friday. https://t.co/viQ2x2AnmQ pic.twitter.com/SFbMMGj556
— COSAFA (@COSAFAMEDIA) May 31, 2019
“I played four matches with the reserve team in France, and then 45 minutes against Zambia.
“I had fun, it is an interesting group of players, and I’m looking forward to the match on Sunday.”
But now he won’t take any part in the Cosafa Cup, and will have to prove his fitness to coach Stuart Baxter on the training pitch and in possible friendlies before the Africa Cup of Nations.
Dolly has been replaced in the Cosafa squad by Sundowns winger Keletso Makgalwa, which comes after Gift Links was called up in place of Phakamani Mahlambi, who asked to be released for personal reasons.
@BafanaBafana training this afternoon ahead of their @COSAFAMEDIA match against Botswana this coming Sunday @SAFA_net pic.twitter.com/LVN4fG1D04
— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) May 31, 2019
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