Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos can be a maverick and an enigma at the same time. You can never put your finger on how and what the Belgian is thinking or planning.
For now, a lot of Bafana supporters will be a bit happy that Broos seems to have got his starting line-up all figured out, finally. He is now also looking assured about his tactics as well, and the results were there for everyone to see against the Czech Republic (Czechia) on Thursday – a huge improvement from the disastrous first match against Mexico last week.
Against Czechia at the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, there was a glimmer of hope after Bafana performed with a little panache and chutzpah – this after they had rolled over and taken some blue eyes from the Mexicans.
Despite the unavailability of midfield workhorse Teboho Mokoena, who is serving a suspension, the midfield nerve centre seems to be functioning admirably. Thalenthe Mbatha slotted in to replace Sphephelo “Yaya” Sithole who was red-carded against Mexico.
Mbatha, the Orlando Pirates warrior, chipped in with an impressive performance and formed a formidable triangle with Mokoena and Jayden Adams in the engine room. The least said about Sithole’s performance, the better. The KZN skyscraper has lost his form and his ball-playing skills badly in recent times.
Broos will probably be forced to start with another Buccaneer; young gun Relebohile Mofokeng, who came on as a substitute and started a party of his own – he forced the lanky and stiff Czechs to dance with him as he ran circles around them.
Mofokeng has shown how hungry he is to play at the World Cup and in the little time he was brought into the field, he changed the game and also had a few sniffs at the goalkeeper.
The Sharpeville-born forward could slot in and give the team more attacking emphasis, with Mbatha and Adams doing the dirty job of chopping down Korea’s supply from the centre.
Broos may also pull a “Usual Suspects” stunt and bring back Nkosinathi Sibisi and Sithole back in defence and in midfield. Sithole’s one-match suspension for his red card is over, and since he is a big favourite of the Belgian, fans must not be surprised to see his name on the starting line-up sheet.
Sibisi is another pet project of Broos. He could be thrown in as a defensive midfielder and can be seen operating in front of the defenders to keep the Koreans at bay. The defence, despite getting caught flat-footed and outnumbered when they conceded on Thursday, looked impressive and composed.
However, the immediate challenge Broos is facing is to address the issue of misfiring strikers who have been firing blanks in the last couple of games. Mamelodi Sundowns’ Iqraam Rayners worked very hard in the two matches he played, but he looked very isolated and had to drop deep to fetch the balls.
Evidence Makgopa also had to dig deep and had to create chances for himself against the Europeans. Rayners and Makgopa are starving and in desperate need of ball supply – they have proved themselves in local diski circles, and with a bit of twitching and introducing some width on the wings, the two can prosper upfront.
But we must not forget that Broos is loyal and the kind that treats players like his children. So, do not be surprised when Sithole and Foster make a comeback to the starting line-up because Broos does not give up easily on his favourite players.
Sithole and Foster are not mentally and physically looking the part, and it would be a major sucker-punch to the hopes of the nation. And because Broos’ unpredictability is immeasurable, you can brace yourself for a surprise of biblical proportions.
- Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos can be a maverick and an enigma at the same time.
- You can never put your finger on how and what the Belgian is thinking or planning.
- For now, a lot of Bafana supporters will be a bit happy that Broos seems to have got his starting line-up all figured out, finally.
- He is now also looking assured about his tactics as well, and the results were there for everyone to see against the Czech Republic (Czechia) on Thursday – a huge improvement from the disastrous first match against Mexico last week.
- Against Czechia at the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, there was a glimmer of hope after Bafana performed with a little panache and chutzpah – this after they had rolled over and taken some blue eyes from the Mexicans.
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos can be a maverick and an enigma at the same time. You can never put your finger on how and what the Belgian is thinking or planning.
For now, a lot of Bafana supporters will be a bit happy that Broos seems to have got his starting line-up all figured out, finally. He is now also looking assured about his tactics as well, and the results were there for everyone to see against the Czech Republic (Czechia) on
Against Czechia at the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, there was a glimmer of hope after Bafana performed with a little panache and chutzpah – this after they had rolled over and taken some blue eyes from the Mexicans.
Despite the unavailability of midfield workhorse Teboho Mokoena, who is serving a suspension, the midfield nerve centre seems to be functioning admirably.
Broos will probably be forced to start with another Buccaneer; young gun Relebohile
Broos may also pull a “Usual Suspects” stunt and bring back
Sibisi is another pet project of Broos. He could be thrown in as a defensive midfielder and can be seen operating in front of the defenders to keep the Koreans at bay.
However, the immediate challenge Broos is facing is to address the issue of misfiring strikers who have been firing blanks in the last couple of games. Mamelodi
Evidence Makgopa also had to dig deep and had to create chances for himself against the Europeans. Rayners and Makgopa are starving and in desperate need of ball supply – they have proved themselves in local diski circles, and with a bit of twitching and introducing some width on the wings, the two can prosper upfront.
But we must not forget that Broos is loyal and the kind that treats players like his children. So, do not be surprised when
