Bafana can’t slip up in Angola

Shakes Mashaba clearly believes he does not have to do too much motivational talking ahead of the World Cup qualifier against Angola.

Shakes Mashaba clearly believes he does not have to do too much motivational talking for Bafana Bafana ahead of Friday’s World Cup qualifier against Angola.

Upon arrival at their hotel in Benguela, where they will take on the Palancas Negras at the Ombaka National Stadium, Mashaba had a short, yet poignant message for his players.

“You know why you are here – none of you needs a reminder,” he said to his 25-man squad.

Incredibly, though, South Africa’s senior national team coach went on to remind his players of the purpose of their trip to the former Portuguese colony.

“We are playing crucial World Cup qualifiers and you all are aware there is a lot at stake. I believe we have a team to give us positive results; we have no doubt there. We cannot afford to slip up.”

That failure is not an option cannot be denied. Bafana need to overcome Angola over the two-legged tie, the second match of which will be played at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Tuesday.

With the tie being a straight knockout encounter, a good result on Friday will set Bafana up for progression to the final stage of the qualifiers for the global tournament which will be hosted by Russia in 2018.

Yet with Bafana in Angola without their number one goalkeeper and captain Itumeleng Khune who pulled out due to injury, scepticism about their chances of success abound.

And with Mashaba surprisingly calling up Wayne Sandilands who is a bench-warmer at his club Mamelodi Sundowns ahead of the on-form Moeneeb Josephs of Bidvest Wits, the coach’s detractors will seem justified in their concern about Bafana’s chances of success.

It will be interesting to see if the coach starts the match with Khune’s deputy, Jackson Mabokgwane, who is among the four walking-wounded players in the squad or with Sandilands, who kept goals when an essentially South Africa B, if not C, side got the better of Angola in Luanda in the second-leg match of the Championship of African Nations qualifiers.

However, Mashaba insists there is no reason to lament Khune’s unavailability.

“There is no need to panic with Khune not available. The truth is he has been doing well for us since he came in but he is not here and I believe any of the three goalkeepers that we have will step up to the plate,” he said.

SuperSport United’s Ronwen Williams is the other goalkeeper in the squad.

Undergoing treatment along with Mabokgwane are his Mpumalanga Black Aces teammate Lehlohonolo Nonyane (both are suffering from right knee injuries), as well as the Kaizer Chiefs duo of Erick Mathoho (calf strain) and George Lebese (hamstring strain).

But team doctor Thulani Ngwenya is positive the quartet will be up and running come Friday.

“Theirs are not serious injuries, that’s why we have kept them in camp with us. We will just be monitoring them over the next few days.

“They are undergoing treatment and should be ready on match day,” he said.

And with so much at stake, Mashaba will be expecting his troops to leave it all on the Ombaka National Stadium pitch. - The Star