Safa get lucky break after Mahlambi's injury and Wits league title triumph

South Africa under-20 side have received two lucky breaks in the last 24 hours with injury to Phakamani Mahlambi and Bidvest Wits winning the league‚ which goes along way to taking them out of a pickle of their own making.

The South Africa Football Association came off second best in a stand off with the newly crowned Premier Soccer League champions and with SuperSport United after gambling on forcing the clubs to release players for the U-20 World Cup by threatening them with disciplinary action in a heavy-handed tactic that both clubs laughed off.

Wits refused to release Mahlambi and fullback Reeve Frosler because both were needed to their bid to win the league title while SuperSport wanted to keep Tebeho Mokoena as the headed into the semifinal of the Nedbank Cup.

• Safa withdraws Mahlambi from Amajita squad for FIFA U20 World CupBidvest Wits’ forward star Phakamani Mahlambi has been withdrawn from the Amajita squad for the Fifa Under-20 World Cup in South Korea with a hamstring injury. 

But stubbornly SAFA went ahead and included the trio in the final squad of 21 for the tournament in South Korea‚ putting their own chances at severe risk.

Once named by deadline day‚ the squad cannot be changed‚ unless on medical grounds and with suitable evidence.

Suddenly faced with the prospect of now having only 18 players instead of 21 when the clubs continued to refuse to cave-in‚ SAFA tried to charge both SuperSport and Wits and called them to an urgent hearing last week.

• Safa prepares to throw the book at Wits, SuperSport after their refusal to release playersThe South African Football Association (Safa) is threatening to throw the book at Bidvest Wits and SuperSport United for refusing to allow their players to travel with with the junior national team to Under-20 World Cup in Korea in less than two weeks. 

But the clubs called their bluff by asking SAFA to get a directive from FIFA on whether they had to release the trio or they could stay with their clubs for important assignments in the league and cup.

Fifa’s directive went in favour of SuperSport and Wits and SAFA had to “indefinetly postpone” the hearing in an admission they had no legal leg to stand on.

They tried the next day to use a statement from new Sports Minister Thembelani Nxeli to put pressure on the clubs but it proved a feeble effort that received almost no media attention.

• BREAKING: Safa names Stuart Baxter as new Bafana Bafana coachThe protracted search for a Bafana Bafana coach is finally over after the South African Football Association (Safa) named Stuart Baxter as Ephraim ‘‘Shakes” Mashaba’s successor on Thursday afternoon. 

It meant the Under-20 were set to play with just 18 players instead of 21 but over the last days the situation has fortuitously turned for coach Thabo Senong.

First Mahlambi suffered two hamstring tears in training with Wits ahead of the Wednesday’s decisive league match at home to Polokwane City‚ which allowed SAFA to quickly substitute him on the list with Sergio Kammies of Ajax Cape Town.

Changes are allowed by FIFA to the final squad lists up until the country’s first game at the tournament … but on medical grounds only and after examination of X-rays and scans by FIFA’s doctors.

• Wits coach Hunt agrees to release Frosler to the SA under-20s FIFA World Cup squad Now Reeve Frosler can go to the Under-20 Fifa World Cup‚ said Bidvest Wits coach Gavin Hunt in what seemed the natural response following his side’s Premier Soccer League title victory on Wednesday night. 

As soon as Mahlambi hurt himself‚ Wits quickly informed SAFA so that they could make the change and Kammies left for South Korea on Wednesday‚ once FIFA gave approval.

Wits have now also released Frosler after winning the Premier Soccer League title on Wednesday and he departed for Asia on Thursday.

He is no longer needed for Wits' last game of the season against Kaizer Chiefs next weekend with the Clever Boys having sewn up the title.

• Future stars on show as wide-open U20 FIFA World Cup kicks offThe FIFA Under-20 World Cup kicks off in South Korea on Saturday and looks wide open after the 2015 champions Serbia and beaten finalists Brazil both failed to qualify. 

SAFA’s statement about the call-up for Kammies‚ released on Wednesday‚ continued with the line “SuperSport United midfielder Teboho Mokoena yet to report for national duty” as if to paint the teenager as being guilty of a dereliction of duty.

But Mokoena could yet go to South Korea depending what decision SuperSport United make after Saturday’s Nedbank Cup semifinal against Chippa United in East London.

Amajita make their bow at the 16-team tournament on Sunday against Japan in Suwon.

They meet Italy next Wednesday in their second Group D game at the same venue and Uruguay on Saturday May 27 at Incheon.

- TMG Digital/TMG Sport