By Mark Gleeson BBC Sport, Cape Town

Benni McCarthy is once again unavailable for South Africa

Benni McCarthy's return to the South African squad is still on hold after his honeymoon won priority over Bafana Bafana's 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign.

The FC Porto striker, who got married as South Africa were playing the Cape Verde Islands in their opening 2006 match last weekend, is again unavailable for the key World Cup qualifier against Ghana on 19 June.

Bafana Bafana officials had been hoping that McCarthy would make himself available for what could potentially turn out to be the key match of the campaign for both South Africa and fellow favourites Ghana.

The relatively unknown England-based defender Marc Arber has received his first call-up to the South African squad after a shaky performance by the Bafana Bafana back line last week.

Arber replaces France-based fullback Thabang Molefe in the South African squad of 19, named by coach Stuart Baxter, for the trip to Kumasi.

Arber, a right back, plays at Peterborough United in the English second division.

He was born in South Africa when his father Bobby Arber was playing for Johannesburg club Rangers.

Baxter has recalled Russian-based Jacob Lekgetho and MacBeth Sibaya and also welcomes back the injured duo of Steven Pienaar the Ajax Amsterdam midfielder and the FC Copenhagen wing Sibusiso Zuma.

It is a must-win match for both countries, considered the two front runners in the battle for top place in the group and a spot at the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany.

Squad:

Goalkeepers:
Moeeneeb Josephs (Ajax Cape Town), Hans Vonk (Ajax Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Defenders:
Marc Arber (Peterborough United, England), Mark Fish (Charlton Athletic, England), Jacob Lekgetho (Lokomotiv Moscow, Russia), Aaron Mokoena (Racing Genk, Belgium), Nasief Morris (Panathinaikos, Greece), Neil Winstanley (Wits University)

Midfielders:
Delron Buckley (VfL Bochum, Germany), Stanton Fredericks (Kaizer Chiefs), Mbulelo Mabizela (Tottenham Hotspur, England), Benson Mhlongo (Wits University), Steven Pienaar ((Ajax Amsterdam, Netherlands), MacBeth Sibaya (Rubin Kazan, Russia), Elrio van Heerden, Sibusiso Zuma (both FC Copenhagen, Denmark)