Rédaction Africa Links 24 with sabcnews.com
Published on 2024-01-29 17:05:31
Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos is optimistic about his team’s chances as they prepare to face the highly ranked Morocco in the last 16-match of the Africa Cup of Nations. Despite the overwhelming favorites, Broos believes his players can surprise the Atlas Lions.
Morocco, ranked number one in Africa and 13th in the FIFA world rankings, will be led by their coach Walid Regragui, whose suspension has been lifted in time for the match against South Africa. The return of their coach adds to the challenges that Bafana Bafana will face in the knockout stage.
The ongoing AFCON tournament has already produced several upsets, with big countries like Egypt being eliminated by lesser-known teams. Broos acknowledges the difficulty of the task ahead but remains confident, citing the tournament’s history of surprising results.
South Africa, ranked 12th in Africa and 65th in the FIFA rankings, cannot be underestimated, despite Morocco’s superiority on paper. In their previous encounter in June, Morocco won the first leg but suffered a historic defeat in the second leg, showing that Bafana Bafana is capable of causing an upset.
Morocco’s team consists of high-profile players who are active in European leagues, providing them with a clear advantage over South Africa, whose players are mostly from the local competition. However, Broos remains optimistic about his team’s chances, emphasizing the need to bring their best game to secure a positive outcome.
Bafana Bafana midfielder Sphephelo Sithole echoes Broos’ sentiments, expressing confidence in the team’s ability to achieve a favorable result if they perform at their best. The team has had to adjust to a change in their base due to their second-place finish in the group stage and is now adapting to the conditions in San Pedro.
Despite the challenges posed by their opponents, South Africa is determined to give their all in the upcoming match, hoping to add to the growing list of surprises in the AFCON tournament. With both teams facing a difficult task, the stage is set for an exciting and unpredictable encounter.
