Zambia-South Africa clash called off over xenophobic attacks

Tiyani Mabunda (13) and Thamsanqa Gabuza (9) of South Africa challenged by Godfrey Ngwenya (13) and Katema Paul (8) of Zambia

by Staff Reporter

Tuesday Sep 03, 2019. 20:00

The international friendly between Zambia and Bafana Bafana, scheduled for Lusaka on Saturday, has been called off due to the on-going xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

It what will be a major embarrassment for the South Africa Football Association, their Zambian counterparts called off the contest, saying it could not go ahead in the current climate.

Zambian FA president Andrew Kamanga revealed the news on the Marawa Sport Worldwide radio show, which has subsequently been confirmed by SAFA officials.

South Africa are now actively seeking a replacement, with talk that Madagascar could step in, with the match to be played in Johannesburg.

Attacks against foreign nationals in South Africa are nothing new and flair up from time-to-time, with at least five people said to have been killed in the latest violence.

It is unclear what has fueled the unrest, but it threatens to make South Africa a pariah again on the continent, unofficially at least, some 27 years after they returned to international football in 1992.