Soccer
Bafana seek qualification against Uganda─── MORGAN PIEK 14:17 Mon, 11 Nov 2024
“We will try to win already the first game in Uganda. So that we come back already having qualified and so that we have a relaxed game against South Sudan.”
Bafana Bafana will go out all-guns blazing on Friday afternoon when they face Uganda in Kampala in their crucial Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
South Africa will face Uganda and South Sudan in the next eight days and a win on Friday will see them qualifying for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Last month Bafana blew a chance at qualifying when they played to a 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Brazzaville.
The coach, Hugo Broos, said they wanted to get the job done on Friday night already in order to ease the pressure.
Devin Titus and Lebohang Mabotja. Photo: Morgan Piek
“Those two games are very important - we can qualify already in Uganda if we win,” said Broos. “But if we don’t, then we have to do it against South Sudan, so they are very important. I think it’s also important for me that I can nearly always count on the same players.
“That’s because everyone knows how we work. Everyone knows what we ask in a game from them. So there is no adaptation. You also create a friendship between players when you have always nearly the same players.
“So now we have a new one with Sage Stephens, but, okay, Ricardo Goss is injured. So we had to choose another one. I think he deserves to be there because he has had fantastic performances with Stellenbosch, so I’m sure that he will adapt very quickly to this group.
“We will try to win already the first game in Uganda. So that we come back already having qualified and so that we have a relaxed game against South Sudan.”
On Monday, Bafana made an injury-enforced change to their squad before departing to East Africa. The Cypress-based forward, Mihlali Mayambela, has been ruled out for the two crucial games in the next eight days.
Bafana has called up the Stellenbosch FC midfielder, Devin Titus, who will link up with the team in Johannesburg. Titus has already represented South Africa twice in 2024, and he will also be used to the system.
Friday’s game between Uganda and South Africa at the Mandela National Stadium kicks off at 15:00.
