Bafana can take control of Group E
Grobler form key for SA
Bafana Bafana want to learn from last year’s mistakes and not get ahead of themselves, but they are also aware that Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Libya can make or break their campaign.
With a good chance of reaching the 2018 World Cup, Bafana choked with two 2-1 defeats against Cape Verde last year. The second – and most crippling – came at the same venue as the Libya game, Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Having beaten Nigeria 2-0 away in their opening match of their A fcon qualifying campaign just over a year ago, the South Africans will know that a victory against Libya on Saturday (3pm) can put one foot at Cameroon 2019, even having played just two matches.
Seychelles, who Libya beat 5-1 in their opener at “home” in Egypt, seem destined to be the whipping boys of Group E.
“This is a massive game for us in many ways. The good result against Nigeria pales into insignificance if we don’t get a good result against Libya at home,” Bafana coach Stuart Baxter said this week.
“It’s important that we continue to take points because if we can do that it may be done and dusted before the end of the group [stage]. And we do want that. We don’t want it to go down to the wire. We want to be able to give other people a run if we can wrap it up early.
“But this is also very much about here and now. This is 90 minutes, plus it’s in South Africa. We want to make sure that we take control of it.”
Baxter has hinted that SuperSport United striker Bradley Grobler, a scorer in a 2-0 training match win against AmaZulu on Wednesday, might have a role to play.
“It’s good news for us when Bradley is firing, because he’s a bit of a predator on crosses and balls into the box.”
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‘ ‘ It may be done and dusted before the end of the group [stage]