No negative talk for Baxter

BAFANA Bafana coach Stuart Baxter will not entertain negative talk of South Africa once again failing to qualify for the Soccer World Cup.

The South Africans find themselves on the back foot after their disappointing 2-1 away defeat to minnows Cape Verde on Friday night.

But Bafana have a chance to make amends against the same opposition in the return 2018 World Cup qualifier at the Moses Mabhida Stadium tomorrow night (7pm).

Baxter has backed his charges to bounce back and will not entertain any thoughts that Bafana may once again fail to qualify for the global showpiece.

“The fact that we haven’t qualified in a long time [since 2002] brings an element of anxiety‚ because on the one hand the squad is desperate to give the supporters what they want‚ but hoping that they don’t fail‚” Baxter said from Durban yesterday.

“On the other hand there is this prize that is the World Cup and they are desperately trying to get there.

“So it’s like nervous if you do and nervous if you don’t.

“So to get that settled and try to get a mental balance is difficult.” The 2-1 defeat to Cape Verde‚ a side many expected Bafana to beat‚ could have proved very costly but Baxter’s charges were given a reprieve when the star-studded Senegal played to a costly home 0-0 draw with Burkina Faso on Saturday night.

The result kept Bafana in the hunt and Group D remains wide open.

Baxter‚ though‚ should know better than to dwell on the excuses many of his predecessors used when things did not go their way – the Briton complained about the limited time he had with his players ahead of the back-toback qualifiers against Cape Verde.

He refused to be drawn into suggestions that Bafana may falter again and miss out on the big tournament.

“Let’s concentrate on the here and now,” he said.

Bafana playmaker Thulani Serero is available for tomorrow’s clash in Durban after missing Friday’s away outing with a hamstring strain.

Baxter is also considering bringing in another centre-back following Eric Mathoho’s red card in Praia.

Leaders Burkina Faso remain top of Group D with five points‚ followed by Senegal and Bafana both on four points‚ and finally bottom side Cape Verde on three.