BAFANA Bafana midfielder Steven Pienaar will not be allowed to play for Everton in tomorrow night's English League Cup semifinal against Chelsea after being ordered to report for South Africa's African Nations Cup preparations.
Pienaar had hoped to join up with the Bafana squad after the cup tie, but coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has insisted all players report by tomorrow for the start of the African Nations Cup build-up.
The team has also told central defender Nasief Morris he cannot stay for Panathinaikos's derby match against archrivals Olympiakos in the Greek league this week.
Morris will arrive in South Africa tomorrow after he was due to play for his club against Apollon yesterday, an official in the Bafana team said.
South Africa have enforced a rule that stipulates that all players must be available 14 days before the start of a continental championship. Bafana meet Angola in their opening cup match on January 23.
South Africa are also with Tunisia and Senegal in group D, considered the most intriguing as each country is capable of finishing among the top two and reaching the quarterfinals.
A ruling by world football governing body Fifa says clubs must release players 14 days before the biennial tournament, stirring protests from English Premiership managers with African stars.
Bafana will hold a training camp in Durban this week before leaving for Ghana. They will play friendlies against Mozambique and Botswana. - Reuters and Sapa-AFP
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package. 