IN AN unprecedented move by any Bafana Bafana coach standards, Shakes Mashaba postponed his morning training session to later in the afternoon, telling his players to let their hair down at the Canal Walk Shopping Centre yesterday ahead of their grudge match against Nigeria tonight.
Dean Furman and his teammates did not wait for a second invitation.
However, the midfielder said their Africa Cup of Nations Group A qualifier against the Super Eagles at the Cape Town Stadium will need a far more aggressive approach.
“We know Nigeria are a top side, they are African champions and they had a terrific World Cup in Brazil and it’s going to be a very difficult game. So we have to approach the game with total focus and fully concentrate on what the coach sets us out to do,” said Furman.
“The belief in the squad is there, and we want to go out there and look for the three points and play to win, with the hope that we get maximum points from our first two games.”
Bafana beat Sudan 3-0 away in Khartoum last Friday – a victory that silenced critics of Mashaba’s new-look side.
Furman said South Africa would have to rely on its nimble- footed players to have an edge over the burly and physical Nigerians, who are far superior than their counterparts when going man-to-man.
Furman acknowledge this fact, but said there was a way to avoid having their backs against the wall.
“We know that within our squad we have tremendous amounts of skill and the boys are unbelievable with the ball at their feet. But on the other side we have to match Nigeria’s physicality, we have to be strong, we have to be up for the challenge, and I think if we match them in that department we know we can score goals,” he explained.
Mashaba could also ring the changes if his earlier training sessions are anything to go by.
Thabo Matlaba and Andile Jali set on the sidelines for much of Monday’s drills, but late medicals tests will determine the extent of their niggling injuries.
Mashaba, though, hinted at tweaking his approach. This means Sibusiso Vilakazi, two-goal hero against Sudan, could be roped in to start.
“It’s not always the best players that start the game these days. We also can’t say the guys who sat on the bench can come on again and have the same impact. In modern football now there’s what we call technical weapon – good players start from the bench,” said Mashaba.
“All three subs against Sudan paid dividends, maybe they wanted to show me that they don’t belong on the bench.”
SA out to settle score
Dean Furman and his teammates did not wait for a second invitation.
However, the midfielder said their Africa Cup of Nations Group A qualifier against the Super Eagles at the Cape Town Stadium will need a far more aggressive approach.
“We know Nigeria are a top side, they are African champions and they had a terrific World Cup in Brazil and it’s going to be a very difficult game. So we have to approach the game with total focus and fully concentrate on what the coach sets us out to do,” said Furman.
“The belief in the squad is there, and we want to go out there and look for the three points and play to win, with the hope that we get maximum points from our first two games.”
Bafana beat Sudan 3-0 away in Khartoum last Friday – a victory that silenced critics of Mashaba’s new-look side.
Furman said South Africa would have to rely on its nimble- footed players to have an edge over the burly and physical Nigerians, who are far superior than their counterparts when going man-to-man.
Furman acknowledge this fact, but said there was a way to avoid having their backs against the wall.
“We know that within our squad we have tremendous amounts of skill and the boys are unbelievable with the ball at their feet. But on the other side we have to match Nigeria’s physicality, we have to be strong, we have to be up for the challenge, and I think if we match them in that department we know we can score goals,” he explained.
Mashaba could also ring the changes if his earlier training sessions are anything to go by.
Thabo Matlaba and Andile Jali set on the sidelines for much of Monday’s drills, but late medicals tests will determine the extent of their niggling injuries.
Mashaba, though, hinted at tweaking his approach. This means Sibusiso Vilakazi, two-goal hero against Sudan, could be roped in to start.
“It’s not always the best players that start the game these days. We also can’t say the guys who sat on the bench can come on again and have the same impact. In modern football now there’s what we call technical weapon – good players start from the bench,” said Mashaba.
“All three subs against Sudan paid dividends, maybe they wanted to show me that they don’t belong on the bench.”
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