With what Mamelodi Sundowns technical director Ted Dumitru suggested was "something so incredible it could only have been enacted on this earth by Safa," a furious row erupted on Monday between the 'Brazilians' and the Bafana Bafana administration over striker Katlego Mphela's withdrawal because of injury from the international friendly against Australia in London on Tuesday night.

Mphela pulled up lame during the warm-up for Sunday's first-leg MTN8 semi-final at Atteridgeville's Super Stadium with what appeared to be a serious thigh injury and was unable to take his place in the game against SuperSport United and was subsequently withdrawn from the Bafana squad.

But Bafana team manager Sipho Nkumane on Tuesday expressed "disappointment in the way Sundowns had conducted themselves", claiming a doctor delegated by Safa had examined Mphela and declared him uninjured and fit to travel to London. Sundowns' team manager Harris Chueu then summarily refused to release the player.

"This is astonishing," said an enraged Dumitru. "Mphela was in extreme pain after suffering a freak injury before the game against SuperSport and our team doctor has now estimated he could be out of soccer for between six and seven weeks as a result of a badly-torn thigh muscle.

"The boy remains in severe pain and hardly able to walk," added Sundowns' technical director, "yet the Safa-appointed doctor says he is fit to play in an international fixture.

"I want to see this person's medical credentials," said Dumitru, "because I cannot believe any doctor could come up with such a diagnosis. Mphela suffered severe internal bleeding and the entire incident constitutes a disgraceful insinutation on the credibility of Sundowns.

"What, in effect, Bafana are claiming is that we selected Mphela to play against SuperSport, allowed him to go onto the pitch and then withdrew one of our key players from a game that has an R8 million prize in the offing with a faked injury.

"It is beyond belief," said the Sundowns technical director, "and I'm demanding to see Safa's doctor's credentials."

It is a bizarre diversion that Bafana could have done without, as they seek to regain morale and confidence ahead of their critical 2010 African Nations Cup encounter against Nigeria next month.

A glimmer of encouragement, however, emerged for Bafana before the clash against the seasoned Australian squad made up of 20 European-based players when Benni McCarthy joined what is now a 23-man squad in London.

"But," as one official commented, "when it's not raining, its pouring."

Sapa