With South Africa’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying group being wide open it is imperative for Bafana Bafana to secure their spot when they face Sudan in their penultimate group game in Durban on Saturday.
Leaving qualification open until the final match away to defending champions Nigeria next Wednesday is too risky, said midfielder Mandla Masango. South Africa can book their ticket to the next edition of the continental showpiece with victory over Sudan at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
After four matches Bafana Bafana are unbeaten at the top of the standings with two away wins and two home draws. They stand on eight points, one more than second-placed Congo, who host Nigeria the same day. One more win will ensure that South Africa finish in the top two positions in Group A for automatic qualification. Bottom side Sudan have three points and can still finish in the top two if they collect maximum points from their two remaining games.
“We cannot tell what is going to happen in the future,” said Masango in reference to the trip to Nigeria, “but rather we can focus on what is happening now. We have to go for the kill (against Sudan) because it is here and it is now.”
The on-form Kaizer Chiefs man played in the first match in Khartoum and helped the side take a 2-0 lead before he made way for Oupa Manyisa. South Africa won that clash in September 3-0, largely thanks to the now, tragically murdered captain, goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa, keeping the home side at bay in the opening period. With qualification still a possibility for the Falcons of Jediane, Masango expects they will be tested to the full. It’s the kind of challenge he relishes.
“We thrive under pressure. Everywhere that we play, whether it’s a big or small club or a national team, we thrive on that. Currently we are on top of the log so there’s pressure to make sure that we get a win whatever the circumstances.
“No, we are not comfortable with the tag of favourites. Any team stands a good chance of qualifying so you cannot be comfortable. Most important is we get a win, whether it is one, two or three nil doesn’t matter. Getting a win is all that matters,” said the winger.
South Africa will have a new man between the posts on Saturday afternoon. Of the three goalkeepers in the squad, Belgium-based Darren Keet was the reserve in Khartoum and is expected to be coach Ephraim Mashaba’s first choice. The other two, Brilliant Khuzwayo and Siyabonga Mpont-shane, were not in the squad for the first match.
Whoever plays will enjoy the support of the entire squad, said Masango after a morning relaxing at the team’s beachfront hotel yesterday. The squad went through a testing training session the previous morning, followed by an afternoon training game against local National First Division side Royal Eagles at the match venue. Mashaba therefore allowed the players to unwind yesterday at the hotel where they sharpened their table tennis and eight-ball pool skills.
“Most definitely Brilliant can do the job. We have confidence in the other goalkeepers too. It’s not about Brilliant or the other ’keepers; it’s about the country. We should represent the country and play the match for Senzo and send him a nice farewell. He was a crucial member of the team and did a lot for the country, so it’s important we do it for him,” added Masango.
Whichever goalkeeper gets the nod, they will at least have the defenders who travelled to Sudan and are familiar with the threat posed by the opposition strikeforce
With Mashaba not having announced a replacement for the injured Sibusiso Vilakazi and May Mahlangu, who withdrew, it is unlikely there will be changes to the squad, partly because of the length of time it would require to obtain a visa for Nigeria before next Wednesday. - The Star