Pirates players can tell Bafana all about the banana skin of Luanda
JOHANNESBURG: On the face of it, Bafana Bafana were given a good draw for their World Cup preliminary qualifying round two – Shakes Mashaba’s team being drawn to face Angola.
But while they have yet to lose to the Palancas Negras since readmission into the international game, it would be folly of South Africa to expect an easy ride into the group stages of the qualifying competition for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
For one, never have South Africa had it easy against their fellow Cosafa members – most of Bafana’s victories over the years being pretty narrow.
And while Angola appear to be slowly improving, Bafana Bafana are no world-beaters lately and Mashaba is actually in a rebuilding process since taking over the squad.
One thing that is pretty evident is that Bafana are not lethal up front with a strikeforce led by Tokelo Rantie and Bongani Ndulula not the kind to leave opposition defences shaking in their boots.
Bafana have to first travel to Angola and that in itself could be a potential banana skin, Luanda being a pretty notorious venue for visiting sides.
Only recently, Orlando Pirates were there for a Caf Champions League preliminary match and the mighty Buccaneers – expected by many to simply walk all over the little known Recreativo de Libolo – came a cropper. The same could happen to Bafana should they think they need only pitch up to be guaranteed a place in the group stages of the qualifiers.
And then there’s also the fact that Angola are fast improving – they convincingly beat the Central African Republic recently.
Add to that the fact South African teams have always struggled to cope with teams that rely on strength and this is where the Bafana defence are going to find themselves truly tested with Angola’s strikeforce led by Manucho.
The lanky striker is an awkward man to mark and is a consummate finisher who is playing the game at the highest level in Spain.
He will be complemented by the highly-experienced Gilberto who has been in the squad for donkey’s years and has vast experience of the continental game having turned out for the mighty Al Ahly in the past.
Some will no doubt be quick to point out that Bafana got the better of Angola only recently in a friendly in Cape Town.
But what should be noted is the fact that while South Africa had their ‘top’ players from overseas, the Angolan team was essentially made up of the locals.
This tie being a case of door-die for both teams, Mashaba will do well to impress on his team the importance of getting a good result in the away leg and then coming home to seal the tie.
But it won’t be an easy tie, not by any stretch of the imagination – the good record over Angola notwithstanding.