Moho Makola is slowly becoming one of Shakes Mashaba's regulars in the Bafana Bafana team.
He might not have the kind of international experience that the likes of Anele Ngcongca and Itumeleng Khune boast, but the Orlando Pirates midfielder brings valuable input from playing CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup football with the Buccaneers.
He knows what being under pressure to get a result away from home feels like and, more importantly, knows how to handle it and deliver when it matters most.
Bafana face Cameroon in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Limbe today and again in Durban on Tuesday, knowing that back-to-back defeats could all but end their hopes of competing at next year's tournament in Gabon.
This is the time the players have to deliver, or endure the pain of watching the competition on their television sets at home next year.
Bottom of Group M with one point after two matches, Bafana need nerves of steel to overcome a Cameroonian side which sits pretty on top with six points after two qualifiers.
“I have been in a situation like this (with Pirates) and have delivered, as a team and as an individual. I hope whatever experience I have gained will come in handy for the team,” Makola said from their Limbe hotel yesterday.
“It's tough (playing away from home). But if we work together, I do not see anything standing in our way. We need to grind out a result. International football (compared to the PSL and Confederation Cup) is tougher .... you are playing against players who play overseas and they have experience and they are tactically sound.
“We need to get maximum points, in both matches. It's crucial for us. We need to go to the game with the correct mindset and do well.”
Having done well away from home since Mashaba took over, barring the Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea last year, Bafana are not likely to be intimidated by the crowd.
The locals in Limbe seem confident that the stadium will be packed today. “I don't think we will be intimidated. I actually think it's an advantage for us playing in front of a big crowd. It motivates us,” said Makola, who played both legs when Bafana beat Angola in 2018 World Cup qualifiers in November last year.
The experience of players such as Khune, Ngcongca and Andile Jali will come in handy to guide some of the newbies.
“It's good to have experienced players, especially in a situation like this. They have been in similar situations before and they can help calm the nerves because it's a huge game. To have experienced players like them will really us,” said Makola.
Bafana arrived in Limbe on Thursday night and had their one and only training session yesterday at 3:30pm (Cameroon time). Kick off today is 4.30pm SA time.
Crunch-time for Bafana against the indomitable
He might not have the kind of international experience that the likes of Anele Ngcongca and Itumeleng Khune boast, but the Orlando Pirates midfielder brings valuable input from playing CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup football with the Buccaneers.
He knows what being under pressure to get a result away from home feels like and, more importantly, knows how to handle it and deliver when it matters most.
Bafana face Cameroon in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Limbe today and again in Durban on Tuesday, knowing that back-to-back defeats could all but end their hopes of competing at next year's tournament in Gabon.
This is the time the players have to deliver, or endure the pain of watching the competition on their television sets at home next year.
Bottom of Group M with one point after two matches, Bafana need nerves of steel to overcome a Cameroonian side which sits pretty on top with six points after two qualifiers.
“I have been in a situation like this (with Pirates) and have delivered, as a team and as an individual. I hope whatever experience I have gained will come in handy for the team,” Makola said from their Limbe hotel yesterday.
“It's tough (playing away from home). But if we work together, I do not see anything standing in our way. We need to grind out a result. International football (compared to the PSL and Confederation Cup) is tougher .... you are playing against players who play overseas and they have experience and they are tactically sound.
“We need to get maximum points, in both matches. It's crucial for us. We need to go to the game with the correct mindset and do well.”
Having done well away from home since Mashaba took over, barring the Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea last year, Bafana are not likely to be intimidated by the crowd.
The locals in Limbe seem confident that the stadium will be packed today. “I don't think we will be intimidated. I actually think it's an advantage for us playing in front of a big crowd. It motivates us,” said Makola, who played both legs when Bafana beat Angola in 2018 World Cup qualifiers in November last year.
The experience of players such as Khune, Ngcongca and Andile Jali will come in handy to guide some of the newbies.
“It's good to have experienced players, especially in a situation like this. They have been in similar situations before and they can help calm the nerves because it's a huge game. To have experienced players like them will really us,” said Makola.
Bafana arrived in Limbe on Thursday night and had their one and only training session yesterday at 3:30pm (Cameroon time). Kick off today is 4.30pm SA time.
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