The Amakhosi midfielder becomes the fifth player to be drafted into the South Africa national team this week
Kaizer Chiefs have announced Njabulo Blom has been roped into the Bafana Bafana squad preparing to take on Uganda in Thursday’s international friendly match at Orlando Stadium.
It is the first time ever for Blom to be selected for the senior national team after featuring at the 2019 Africa Under-20 Nations Cup as well as that age group’s Fifa World Cup later that year.
While Safa is yet to announce the 21-year-old’s late call-up, Chiefs revealed that their midfielder has received the call-up.
Editors’ Picks
- Euro 2020: The Ultimate Guide
- NXGN x Euro 2020: Why Doku could be Belgium’s game-changer
- Euro 2020 Top 100 Players to Watch: 80-61 revealed
- Arsen Zakharyan: Meet the teenage magician taking Russia by storm
“Congratulations to Njabulo Blom for your senior National Team call-up. South Africa will play against Uganda tomorrow at Orlando Stadium at 6 pm,” Chiefs announced.
With Thabang Monare a fitness concern, Blom is viewed as a potential replacement for the Orlando Pirates central midfielder who did not take part in Tuesday’s training session.
Monare participated in Monday’s workout with his right leg strapped and Bafana team doctor, Tshepo Molobi said, “The medical team will continue monitoring Monare and the utility player has a 50/50 chance of taking part in Thursday’s friendly match.”
The Bafana Bafana camp has been hit by injuries and Covid-19 ahead of the Uganda clash.
Brighton & Hove Albion attacker Percy Tau as well as SuperSport United’s Teboho Mokoena have been ruled out after testing positive with Covid-19.
Sipho Mbule has also been dropped after coming into contact with his SuperSport teammate Mokoena.
Further affecting the Bafana squad are injuries to the Mamelodi Sundowns trio of Mosa Lebusa, Rivaldo Coetzee and Mothobi Mvala.
This makes Blom the fifth player to be drafted into the national team this week after Premier Soccer League Defender of the Season Njabulo Ngcobo, the Baroka FC duo of defender Denwin Farmer and forward Evidence Makgopa as well as teenage midfielder Ethan Brooks of TS Galaxy.
For Blom, Makgopa and Brooks, the Bafana selection is a reprieve after they did not make it into the Under-23 squad currently in Egypt preparing for the Olympic Games to be held in Japan in July.
