Canada keep Bafana in suspense of world-class wild card

Bafana Bafana are likely to be subjected to mind games from Canada ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 32 clash, with Bayern Munich star and captain Alphonse Davies' fitness a persistent worry and cause of frustration throughout the tournament.

The big talking point ahead of the Reds' Group B campaign as co-hosts was the lingering question of whether Davies, the youngest captain at the ongoing global tournament, would feature.

The 25-year-old has struggled with injuries for Bayern this season and the biggest setback was the hamstring injury he sustained in the UEFA Champions League semi-final second-leg against Paris Saint-Germain at the beginning of May.

Davies ultimately featured in the fewest games for The Bavarians in a single season - 23 in all competitions - for the first time since the 2018/19 campaign, which put a damper in the hopes of Canada going into the World Cup.

There were encouraging signs for the marauding left-back, as the opening match against Bosnia and Herzegovina approached after he was back training but it was clear he would not be risked, as The Reds earned their first ever point against The Dragons (in a 1-1 draw).

After being left out on the bench again in a 6-0 thrashing of Qatar in Canada's second match, head coach Jesse Marsch suggested, ahead of the final group game against Switzerland, that their talisman was fit and in full training and expected to get his first minutes of the tournament.

However, Davies remained a spectator on the bench as The Reds, who had already punched their ticket for the round of 32 lost 2-1 to the Swiss in their final group match.

Interestingly, Marsch admitted that he used the Bayern utility player as a "decoy" prior to the game, after conceding that the 25-year-old was actually not match-ready.

The former Leeds United manager concluded by saying Davies "will be ready for the next match", a statement which will leave Bafana torn, on whether that is true or not, in preparation for the round of 32 encounter on Sunday evening.

The Bayern wing-back is a kind of world class talent who can decide any match on his own but South Africa will take solace from the fact that he might not be match fit, should he feature in a knockout clash, as he has not played competitively since early May.