Coach calls for courage
BAXTER: WE HAVE TO CHALLENGE THEM WITH OUR PACE AND MOVEMENT
Returning Khune to captain the side in Hlatshwayo’s absence.
Stuart Baxter has called on his Bafana Bafana side to show true grit on the field of battle today, as they bid to keep their World Cup 2018 dreams alive against Burkina Faso at the FNB Stadium.
The Bafana coach says he has been stressing this to his squad in the build-up to today’s match, in the wake of limp performances in back-to-back defeats to Cape Verde in September, which have left Bafana's chances of topping Group D and going to Russia next year hanging by the thinnest of threads.
“One of the things I have emphasised in this camp is that after the Cape Verde matches, I was disappointed with the lack of a challenge we threw down, everyone talks about our skill and speed and way of playing, but I don't remember us challenging them positively, whether one-on-one or making penetrating runs.
“We have to challenge them (Burkina Faso) with our pace and movement and we have to make sure we are brave enough.”
Baxter is set to make several changes to his side from the games in Praia and Durban, with some of them enforced, given the absence of captain Thulani Hlatshwayo through injury, the suspension of Eric Mathoho and Dean Furman, and the non-selection of Tokelo Rantie.
Bradley Grobler seems most likely to start in attack, though young Lebo Mothiba would be more of a wildcard selection, and is in form after his hat trick for French side Valenciennes last weekend.
“Mothiba has looked very good, I like Lebo’s character,” said Baxter.
“He can be a target but he is a mobile target who is willing to bully the centrebacks, he is always running and competing for every ball and if he gets in he hits the ball very hard. He is certainly one for the future, but for this game we will wait and see.”
Baxter has Itumeleng Khune available in goal again after he missed the Cape Verde matches, and the Kaizer Chiefs shot-stopper will captain the side in the absence of Hlatshwayo. Midfielder Thulani Serero is also available, though Baxter indicated he may not use the Vitesse Arnhem man from the start, given the physical challenge posed by Burkina Faso.
“We have had a look at him (Serero) in a couple of positions, he also has a thing hanging over him with his hamstrings. Even when they (Vitesse) send him to camp they say ‘will you monitor his hamstrings’. I think he is available to play and we have to think of the balance of the team, I have looked at him in two positions, we have to look at how many creative players we can get on the field without upsetting the defensive balance, and how many smaller players we can bring on the field when our opponents are so tall and have scored 70 percent of their goals from setplays.”