Broos fancies high-level players against France
● Hugo Broos will select the bulk of the Bafana Bafana squad to face France in an international friendly from the three teams participating in Confederation of African Football (Caf) competitions.
Bafana will go up against Guinea on March 25 (venue still to be confirmed) and tackle world champions France in Lille on March 29. Both matches form part of Bafana’s build-up to the start of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in June.
Broos told the Sunday Times his decision to look more into Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates and AmaZulu is motivated by the fact that “these teams are involved in a higher level of competition” in the inter-club continental tournaments.
“When I arrived (in May last year) it was important for me to see the young players we have. Now we’ll focus more, especially on the players of those three teams who are playing at the highest level,” he said.
“In June when the Afcon qualifiers start we’ll be playing at the highest level and those players will be useful.”
Sundowns players like Lyle Lakay, Tebogo Mokoena, Khuliso Mudau, Rushine De Reuck, Thapelo Morena, Andile Jali, Rivaldo Coetzee, Themba Zwane and Bradley Ralani are among those Broos may include in his squad given their latest performances both in the Champions League and DStv Premiership.
AmaZulu have hardly contributed more than goalkeeper Veli Mothwa in recent Bafana squads, but Broos would have taken note of the vital goals Luvuyo Memela scored for his club in crucial wins against Horoya (1-0) and ES Setif (1-0) in the Champions League group matches.
Usuthu’s central defender Tapelo Xoki contributed immensely to Benni McCarthy’s team — ensuring they conceded very few goals in their Champions League — and could be one of the players Broos considers.
Bandile Shandu of Pirates has proven what a dynamic right-back he is, contributing four goals in four matches for Bucs in the Caf Confederation Cup. Shandu and Sundowns’ right-back Mudau may end up fighting for the same spot in Bafana.
Broos emphasised that the purpose of the friendlies against France and Guinea is to gauge where the team is following six matches played in 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers. Bafana failed to make it to the final play-offs that will produce five teams to represent the African continent in Qatar later this year.
“I want to play these games, but if we lose, so what? I don’t like to lose but I look at these games in a different way,” said the Bafana coach. “I’ll select two strong teams: one for Guinea and the other one for the French game. The main purpose of these games is to improve our mindset and to see how we deal with strong opponents like France.”
It will be the first time France face SA since a 2-1 defeat in Free State at the 2010 World Cup, where they crashed out in the group stage. France, who have qualified for Qatar, are currently third on the Fifa rankings with Broos’ side 68th in the world.