Bafana Bafana defender Ricardo Nunes sat out of the team’s training session on Thursday, owing to a thigh muscle strain.

South Africa is preparing to face Ethiopia in their respective 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Sunday, with the top spot of the CAF Group A at stake. 

The Slovakia-based defender watched from the sidelines as coach Gordon Igesund put the squad through their paces yesterday. Igesund explained that Nunes was rested as a precautionary measure.

“It is nothing serious. Just like we did with Yeye and Ngcongca on Monday, we wanted to avoid risking further aggravation of the injury hence we rested him. We will see today and tomorrow how he responds and take it from there,” Igesund said. 

If Nunes does not recover in time for Sunday’s crucial qualifier, Mamelodi Sundowns' Tebogo Langerman is expected to start in the left-back berth.