JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, November 15 – Zambia’s goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene was cut by shattered glass when two homeless boys threw stones at the team bus after they beat South Africa 1-0 in a friendly in Soweto Wednesday night, organisers said.
“They stoned the bus as it was leaving the stadium,” said Africa Cup of Nations organising committee spokesman Sipho Sithole.
Zambia team manager Lusekelo Kamwambi confirmed Mweene’s injury.
“Two young boys threw stones at the bus, and the glass splinters cut the goalkeeper above the eye. It was a very small cut, where the glass hit the skin. The other one, (midfielder) Felix Katongo got hit, but no injuries,” Kamwambi told AFP.
The two boys, aged 12 and 13, did not attend the game in the FNB stadium, also known as Soccer City, where the opening and closing matches of next year’s Africa Cup will take pace.
The boys have been arrested, according to South African Football Association (SAFA) spokesman Dominic Chimhavi.
“From the preliminary investigations which we got it looks like these are homeless youths who are staying within the FNB precinct,” said Chimhavi.
Current African champions Zambia and next year’s hosts clashed just over two months before the tournament kicks off on January 19. The friendly was organised by the organising committee.
“We at SAFA are very disgusted with such behaviour, it’s alien to us,” said Chimhavi in condemning the incident.
