‘Destiny in our hands’
MPHAHLELE: WE DON’T WANT TO RELY ON ANYONE ELSE TO DO US FAVOURS
Serero’s fitness a worry, but he will not be replaced in first leg.
Bafana Bafana defender Ramahlwe Mphahlele says it is crucial that they win both World Cup qualifiers against Cape Verde to stay in control of their own World Cup destiny.
Stuart Baxter’s side jetted off for Praia yesterday, where they will face Cape Verde on Friday, before playing them again at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Tuesday. Bafana currently have four points from two Group D qualifying matches, trailing Burkina Faso on goal difference.
The Burkinabe will play qualifiers against the other Group D contenders Senegal over the next few days. Only the group winners will go to Russia 2018.
If Bafana can beat Cape Verde twice and then beat Burkina Faso at home, they will be in an excellent position to have qualified for the World Cup with a match to spare. Cape Verde have made a poor start to their own campaign, losing their opening matches.
“These are very important games, it is difficult playing one team twice,” said Mphahlele.
“We are going to Cape Verde to win. We have made our intentions clear, we want to get a good result there and then come home and get a good result so we can stay in control of the group. We don’t want to be relying on anyone to do us favours.”
Bafana are certainly full of confidence right now, with Baxter’s second spell in charge having got off to a perfect start, with a brilliant victory in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Nigeria in June.
“We had a good run against Nigeria, so we are looking to build on that. No one gave us a chance (in Nigeria), we had a plan in-house and it worked, it came out perfectly. We must prepare the same for every opponent, we don’t choose. The public can choose and say we are expected to beat Cape Verde, but if we don’t we are in trouble, so we must beat them and talk afterwards. It has been a long time since we qualified for a World Cup and we really want it badly.”
Bafana’s overseas-based players were set to meet up with the squad in Praia, with an injury doubt over Thulani Serero, whose hamstring problem is set to be assessed by Bafana’s doctors. South Africa will only name a replacement for the game in Durban, if Serero proves to be unfit.