Baxter is not getting carried away
‘If we go through the motions thinking we are fantastic, we know where that leads’
IT’S the way Bafana Bafana played, following instructions and producing a refined display to run riot against the Seychelles, rather than the record 6-0 winning margin at the expense of a team ranked 189th in the world that coach Stuart Baxter raved about.
South Africa were clinical in Saturday’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the FNB Stadium, scoring three goals in either half to go top of Group E – and now need just four points from their remaining three games to clinch a spot at next year’s continental tournament in Cameroon.
But Baxter wasn’t swept off his feet by the scoreline, insisting that he saw a team that was never in danger of giving the Seychelles even the slimmest of chances to potentially cause an upset at Soccer City.
“It was a good win, and we can get carried away because of the six goals, but I think that would be taking a lot away from the performance of the players,” Baxter said after the match.
“To start with, you are coming up against the underestimation factor, which has not been our strong suit. So we worked very hard this week to try and negate that. And then you score three goals in the first half – in poor weather, playing some very good football.
“We had to go out in the second half and put the foot to the floor again when it was easy at halftime for players to relax. I think the way the players played should be congratulated, maybe more than the fact that they’ve got six goals because they stuck to the game plan, the structure and so did the players that went on later.”
When asked about the chances missed, that would have perhaps even taken Bafana’s tally to double digits, Baxter was quick to point out that – as far as he was concerned – there was no point in dwelling on what they didn’t get right.
“I will not focus at all on the negatives. They will not see one mistake that was made today because I think their overall performance was good – I think we should show them a cavalcade of the good stuff and say we want more of that,” the coach explained.
Bafana flew out to the Seychelles yesterday morning for tomorrow’s return leg, which – if they win again – would leave them needing a just point from the matches against Nigeria next month and Libya in March next year.
“If we are talking about underestimation being an issue and what was that like going into this game, then after beating them 6-0 you have a real challenge on your hands to go there and want to win,” said Baxter.
“If we go through the motions thinking we are fantastic we know where that leads. I want to see the same passion and not thinking we are great just because we have had one good result.”