Bafana Bafana defender Bongani Khumalo is ready fill the void left by the injured Bevan Fransman at the centre of the South African defence.

This comes after Fransman was ruled out of the Bafana's away clash against Sierra Leone on Saturday because of an injury.

And Khumalo, who came off the bench in the first half when Fransman landed badly in the 4-1 drubbing of Guinea last Saturday, is ready to take over from the Moroka Swallows defender.

"I'll take my chance if I get it this weekend," Khumalo told the Pretoria News.

He added: "I'm sorry about what happened to Bevan, but I'm also relieved that his injury is not as bad as we thought. But if I'm told to start, I'll grab the opportunity."

Khumalo said if Fransman were to make a miraculous recovery, he would not be disheartened either.

"I'm only 21, and I'm already in the national team. So either way, my chance will come," he said.

But as things stand now, the prognosis on Fransman still says he is concussed and Khumalo should be handed a start on Saturday when Bafana lock horns with Sierra Leone in their African Nations Cup qualifier from which SA must get at least a point.