The outcome of the friendly tie between France and Ivory Coast should give coach Hugo Broos and his Bafana Bafana players a clear indication of what is in store for them when they take on world champions Les Bleus in Lille, France on Tuesday night.
While Bafana earned a hard-fought goalless draw against Guinea in Kortrijk, Belgium, on Friday, France beat Ivory Coast’s Elephants 2-1 at Vélodrome Stadium in Marseille on Friday.
France’s star forward, Olivier Giroud, signalled his return to international football with his 47th goal to cancel out Nicolas Pepe’s opening goal.
Bafana should be forewarned as the French will throw everything at them to prove they are the world champions and if they start well and dominate, as they did against Guinea, the visitors could be in for an upset.
Central defender Nkosinathi Sibisi repaid Broos’s faith in him. With his combative approach to his game and speed, he could take on the best forwards the world has to offer. Sibisi’s name should be first on the team sheet against the French.
Midfielder Thabang Monare also put his hand up by executing pinpoint passes, as did defender Rushine de Reuck, a second-half substitute.
However, Bafana strikers, more so Lyle Foster and Evidence Makgopa, who was a marked man and a victim of dirty tackles from the opposition defenders, will have to sharpen their shooting skills as they squandered a number of chances against Guinea.
Broos handed debut starts to midfielder Bandile Shandu and left-back Khuliso Mudau, as well as starts to Foster and keeper Veli Mothwa.
Mothwa will have to improve his distribution of the ball but had a fairly good game, especially the save he made from Antoine Conte when Bafana’s defence was in trouble .
Eleven years ago Bafana defeated France 2-1 at the 2010 World Cup and Les Bleus could be out to reverse that result.
While coach Didier Deschamps’s charges host Bafana, Ivory Coast, who, like South Africa, have failed to qualify for the Qatar World Cup, meet England at Wembley on Tuesday.
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