Bloemfontein Celtic coach Owen da Gama said the national call-up for defender Thabo Nthethe was "just reward" for the dedicated player.

On Tuesday, Bafana Bafana boarded a plane bound for Oslo where they will play an international friendly against Norway on Saturday afternoon before traveling to Reykjavik where they are to meet Iceland next Tuesday.

Nthethe was a late replacement for Belgium-based defender Anele Ngconga, who withdrew from the squad citing family bereavement.

The 'Phunya Sele Sele' captain has recently recovered from a skull fracture he suffered in the team's league encounter against SuperSport United on August 26.

"This is just rewards for Nthenthe's good performances and dedication to the team," said Da Gama.

"He was outstanding last season in our relegation battle where we played him in four different positions and not once did he complain.

"Management rewarded him with the Player of the Season award and I recommended him as the club's captain for this season.

"After suffering a skull fracture earlier in this campaign, not once did he want to miss training."

Nthethe is the second replacement to the squad initially announced by Joel Santana for this trip.

Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar withdrew from the side on Monday as he struggled to shake off a knee injury and was replaced by Ajax Cape Town's Franklin Cale.