Bafana Bafana AFCON boost? South Africa’s Group B rivals to miss big name after injury

Bafana Bafana could be one of the beneficiaries after one of their group rivals at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations had their key player ruled out due to injury.

South Africa will face Egypt, Angola and Zimbabwe in Group B at the AFCON tournament set to take place from December 21 to January 18 in Morocco and while most teams will be relying on their star players, one of them will miss a big name.

This is after Zimbabwe unveiled their final 26-man squad but without former Orlando Pirates midfielder Marshall Munetsi, who plays for English Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers.

How long will Munetsi be out?

Munetsi suffered a calf injury while playing for Wolves against Nottingham Forest with the problem set to keep him out for at least six weeks, effectively locking him out of AFCON 2025.

“It’ll be weeks, I don’t know how many at the moment, but I think at the moment it’s looking like at least six weeks, I think,” Wolves coach Rob Edwards said this week regarding the midfielder’s setback.

It is not the news new Zimbabwe coach Mario Marinica was hoping for after arriving last month in the hot seat to replace sacked German Michael Nees.

PSL stars and ex-Chiefs player get nod

Marinica had only the November international window to acquaint himself with his players and he will now go to battle for Africa’s biggest football prize without one of his main soldiers.

Also missing from the Zimbabwe squad is former Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs striker Khama Billiat who has been omitted by Marinica.

The squad includes Munetsi’s Wolves teammate Tawanda Chirewa and ex-Chiefs star Knowledge Musona as well as PSL stars Divine Lunga, Daniel Msendami, Junior Zindoga, Elvis Chipepezeze and Washington Arubi.