Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has vehemently denied there was a fallout with striker Zakhele Lepasa before his withdrawal from the national team.
Lepasa, 26, has been a regular feature in the national team under Broos over the last 12 months and looks to be part of a trio of trusted strikers alongside Lyle Foster and Lebo Mothiba.
He was a second-half substitute in the 0-0 draw with eSwatini on Friday before news broke that he would leave camp ahead of their trip to Ivory Coast – which was since clarified due to a knee injury.
However, despite the statement issued by the national team, there have been suggestions there was a fallout with the Orlando Pirates star who’s netted 10 goals in 13 games this season – which Broos says is furthest from the truth.
“I was surprised and a little bit angry when I heard in the media there was a clash between me and Lepasa, this is a very, very, big lie,” Broos said when asked by iDiski Times in Abidjan ahead of the game.
“There has never been a clash, the only thing is that Lepasa suffered from a knee [injury] on Friday and it became worse during the night. So we decided together with the doctor that it was better not to go to Côte d’Ivoire.
“He wouldn’t play the game, he wouldn’t be ready, so therefore he went to his club. I can show an MRI – the proof is there.
“But yeah, okay, in South Africa, they always try to look for something negative – so let’s repeat again, there has been no clash between me and Lepasa.”
The Buccaneers youth product netted a goal in the wins against Liberia and Morocco in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers before his sensational start to the new season at club level.
