15 November 2018– Bafana Bafana coach, Stuart Baxter saw lots of positives from his squad after Wednesday’s practice game at Steyn City School in which he tried what might be his preferred starting 11.
Without giving much away with three days to go before the crunch game against the Super Eagles of Nigeria, the Bafana Bafana coach said he had an idea of his starting line up although one or two changes might still come to mind.
“I have an idea of what I need to do although there might be one or two changes and I also need to fine-tune a few areas ahead of Saturday’s game. But I must say that I was very happy with the training today,” he told journalists on Wednesday.
He said Thulani Serero who carries a lot of the home crowd’s expectation on his shoulders had been very comfortable on the ball although he was tentative in the beginning.
“As I said earlier, we have not yet picked the final team for Saturday’s game but Thulani is doing well and as the match progressed during the practice game, he became very comfortable on the ball.”
He said with Dean Furman and Kamohelo Mokotjo, the regular pairing in the field of play all out injured, the team will definitely pick a new pairing and was confident that whoever is picked will rise to the occasion.
He said if the boys can replicate the determination and professionalism they showed in Uyo where they stunned the home team with a dazzling show, the visitors might have a game in their hands.
“We need to stifle them and not give them any momentum. They (players) need to relax at the right time and be aggressive at the right time.
“I don’t believe the ongoing heat wave will be an issue to either side, after all, most of Nigeria’s players play overseas.”
The Bafana Bafana coach once again rallied the South African football fans to turn out in their numbers on Saturday to create an ‘intimidating’ atmosphere on the day.
“We definitely need a good crowd like what greeted us in Uyo in the reverse fixture; truth is a small crowd won’t be an advantage to us,” he said.
He asked his players to adjust quickly to different situations and take one moment at a time adding they must focus and remain professional all the time.
Tickets for the match are selling at Computicket, Shoprite and Shoprite Checkers stores countrywide and are going for R60.
The match kicks off at 15h00