BAFANA SHUFFLE
BROOS: MORE FAMILIAR LINE-UP AGAINST ALGERIANS
Coach makes it very clear he cannot afford to ‘experiment’ against motivated Desert Foxes.
Hugo Broos expects Bafana Bafana to face a highly motivated Algeria when the two sides clash in an international friendly today at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers (kick-off 11pm SA time).
The Desert Foxes have hired a new head coach, Vladimir Petkovic, after a disappointing Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), and the Swiss mentor began his tenure with a thrilling 3-2 win over Bolivia on Friday at the same stadium.
“We all know Algeria have a lot of quality, and there was disappointment for all Algerians to see
their team play at the Afcon and go out in the group stages,” Broos told Safa media.
Algeria finished bottom of their Afcon group in the Ivory Coast with just two points.
“We saw the game against Bolivia and already the motivation of their players is totally different, there is a new coach, and they want to show they deserve to be in the team and play,” said Broos.
“Just for that their motivation will be very big, and they are also in Algeria, playing at home in a stadium that will be nearly full.
“It will be a good test for us after the Afcon.”
Having picked an experimental team against European minnows Andorra in Thursday’s 1-1 draw in Annaba, Broos has said he will return to more familiar faces for the clash with Algeria.
That means Mamelodi Sundowns’ Ronwen Williams, Aubrey Modiba, Grant Kekana, Teboho Mokoena and Themba Zwane look set to return to the starting line-up.*
“There will be a lot of changes,” said Broos.
“We looked a bit at both games and the best opportunity to give the young guys to play was last Thursday. If you compare Algeria and Andorra there is a lot of difference in quality so we need to put out our best team on Tuesday [today], we can’t afford experiments. Also players who didn’t play (against Andorra)…will be fresh.”
Bafana do not have any of their regular central strikers for these friendlies, so Stellenbosch’s Iqraam Rayners will get an opportunity against Algeria, after Cape Town City’s Khanyisa Mayo was given a chance against Andorra.
“We will see about Iqraam on Tuesday [today],” said Broos.
“He will play but everyone has to know that international games are one or two levels higher than the PSL, so it will not be easy.”
Rayners did make five appearances for Bafana at the 2023 Cosafa Cup, scoring a penalty in a 2-1 win over Botswana.