JOHANNESBURG – After a week-long camp, Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter is fairly clear about the team he’ll send out against Nigeria for Saturday’s Afcon qualifier at the FNB Stadium.
Without giving much away with three days to go before the crunch game against the Super Eagles, 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,” he told journalists.
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 out injured, the team will definitely pick a new midfield pairing, and was confident that whoever is chosen 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.”
#FORBAFANABAFANAComeShowYourLove this Saturday at @stadiummanagement_sa and see Vincent Pule representing Mzansi against the Super Eagles of Naija @SAFA_net @OfficialSMSA pic.twitter.com/Rj9nBdaelS
— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) November 15, 2018
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; the truth is, a small crowd won’t be an advantage to us,” he said.