FINISH THE JOB IN 90
HOPES BAFANA BEAT MOROCCO WITH NO EXTRA-TIME OR PENALTIES Last-16 Afcon tie expected to be played in energy-sapping heat and humidity in San Pedro.
Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos is hoping his side can beat Morocco without extra-time or penalties this evening in their Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) last-16 showdown at the Stade Laurent Pokou in San Pedro.
The game is expected to be
played in energy-sapping heat and humidity, with temperatures set to be around 30 degrees Centigrade, even with an 8pm local kick-off time.
“Let’s hope after 90 minutes there will be a winner and it will be us,” said Broos at the pre-match press conference yesterday.
“I know winning on penalties is maybe more beautiful, but it is better the game stops after 90 minutes so the teams are not affected too much by the climate.”
Broos’ Cameroon did beat Senegal on penalties in the first of the knockout rounds in 2017, en route to winning the Afcon in Gabon.
Despite not wanting to go to a shootout in San Pedro with Bafana, Broos has seen echoes of that
campaign with the Indomitable Lions this time around.
“Comparing teams is always difficult, sometimes the circumstances are different too, but on the other hand when I see what we did with Cameroon seven years ago, it is a bit the same.,” he said.
“We went through the group stages, and played well, but not fantastic. Then we had a difficult game against Senegal, and won on penalties, and from there we flew.”
Morocco, who will be without injured attacker Sofiane Boufal for the game against Bafana, are overwhelming favourites to win this evening’s match, as the number one side in Africa and one of the favourites to go all the way.
“We are aware it will be a difficult task against Morocco,” said Broos, who added that he was still waiting on the fitness of defenders Khuliso Mudau and Mothobi Mvala.
“They are the number one team in Africa and they had a fantastic World Cup (Morocco reached the semifinals in Qatar in 2022). They are full of high class players so it will be very difficult. On the other hand this is an Afcon full of surprises.
“Secondly, we beat Morocco in Johannesburg (in Afcon qualifying) where we played a very good game at our best level. We have to (achieve) our best level (again) and if we do that maybe we can create another surprise in this Afcon by eliminating this big team.”