JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - SEPTEMBER 05: Bafana Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki with players during the South African national men's soccer team training session at Orlando Stadium on September 05, 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)
Bafana Bafana were originally set to take on Zambia in a friendly to prepare for the upcoming Afcon qualification matches in November. However Zambia withdrew due to the ongoing xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa.
Safa quickly arranged a friendly against Madagascar for Saturday afternoon at the Orlando Stadium as a replacement match, but Madagascar also cancelled their trip to South Africa.
“The South African Football Association (SAFA) has taken a decision to release the players who had been in camp whole week to go back to their clubs after the withdrawal of Madagascar team from the friendly match against Bafana Bafana which was scheduled for Orlando Stadium on Saturday, 7 September 2019,” read a statement.
“The decision to release the players was taken after the meeting with the players and technical staff. SAFA has consistently and strongly condemned the xenophobic attacks and the criminal looting of foreign and South African businesses and wanton attacks on foreign nationals and South African citizens,” read the statement.
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