Matlaba and Jali cleared for Cameroon friendly

Matlaba is believed to require more training to be on par with his Bafana teammates ahead of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) tournament to be hosted by Equatorial Guinea.

Bafana Bafana full-back Thabo Matlaba has been deemed fit after undergoing medical tests on Monday morning.

The Orlando Pirates defender was stretchered off the pitch during South Africa's 1-0 victory over Zambia in a friendly match played at the Orlando Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

“I can safely say that after examining Matlaba, we found there was no injury at all, but just that his fitness levels were very low, and in fact he was cramping," Bafana team doctor Thulani Ngwenya said on the South Africa Football Association (Safa) official Facebook page.

Ngwenya also stated that Bafana midfielder Andile Jali's medical condition was improving, as the KV Oostende anchorman stood a good chance of featuring against Cameroon in a friendly match to be played in Gabon on Sunday.

Jali's former teammate at Pirates, Patrick Phungwayo's recovery is said to be going slow, and the left-back is set to miss the friendly match against the Indomitable Lions.

However, the former Bidvest Wits captain is expected to be fit for Bafana's opening group C match with Algeria on the 23rd of January.

A statement on the Facebook page went on to reveal that Doncaster Rovers midfielder Dean Furman was due to land in South Africa on Monday.

The 26-year-old hardman will undergo a medical assessment in Pretoria, before joining his Bafana teammates in training on Tuesday.