Despite playing against a Nicaragua team that offered almost nothing in terms of competitive edge, Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos is content with the way his new players applied themselves in the goalless draw on Friday night.
There may have been some sporadic glimpses of promise in the team, and the Bafana coach may see some light ahead but truly speaking, the road ahead is going to be arduous and bumpy.
Moments of brilliance in the match were few and far in-between and the World Cup mission could just become one hell of a rollercoaster ride.
South Africa wrapped up their home preparations against the petite Central American country and the farewell match drew admirable crowds at the Orlando Stadium. The team departs for Mexico this afternoon and will play their final international friendly against Jamaica before they are thrown inside the seething, pressure cooker in the form of the Azteca Stadium against hosts Mexico in the opening match on June 11. Bafana will then play against Czechia in Atlanta and the South Korea in Monterey in Mexico.
Broos will feel vindicated with some of his bizarre selections that left many jaws on the floor when he announced his final squad at Cyril Ramaphosa’s Presidential Guesthouse on Wednesday night. The most-talked about selection subject matter was that of goalkeeper Ricardo Goss getting the nod ahead of Brandon Petersen and Orlando Pirates crowd favourite Patrick “Tito” Maswanganyi getting a snub and Themba Zwane making the team.
“I’m happy with the performance of my team. Some of the new players, some for the first time with us,” Broos said.
Poor penetration and creativity
However, judging by the way Broos’ team lacked penetration and creativity, and their failure to bypass Nicaragua’s defence will prove worrisome for Broos. At the World Cup level, the South Africans will be facing more clinical and more organised defences and their lack of creativity in circumventing the 131 ranked Nicaragua is a concern.
But the opposition should be lambasted for not giving Bafana enough competition as a frustrated Broos stated after the match.
“It was a very difficult game, against a very, very negative opponent. I don’t know what they came to do here, but it was just defending and kicking the ball in front,” Broos added.
“We would have liked to have a good opponent who tries to play football.”
Broos admitted midweek that at the World Cup, Mzansi’s realistic hope will to be finish the group as one of the best third-place finishers.
This could mean that he may have accepted that finishing number two could be a pipe dream and the Nicaragua draw highlighted those shortcomings.
SA is the lowest ranked team in the group and so, the best third-placed opportunity could just, slightly, open the backdoor for Broos’ team.
- Despite playing against a Nicaragua team that offered almost nothing in terms of competitive edge, Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos is content with the way his new players applied themselves in the goalless draw on Friday night.
- There may have been some sporadic glimpses of promise in the team, and the Bafana coach may see some light ahead but truly speaking, the road ahead is going to be arduous and bumpy.
- Moments of brilliance in the match were few and far in-between and the World Cup mission could just become one hell of a rollercoaster ride.
- South Africa wrapped up their home preparations against the petite Central American country and the farewell match drew admirable crowds at the Orlando Stadium.
- The team departs for Mexico this afternoon and will play their final international friendly against Jamaica before they are thrown inside the seething, pressure cooker in the form of the Azteca Stadium against hosts Mexico in the opening match on June 11.
