Bafana Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki is banking on his players’ individual and collective international experience to prove vital in their crucial final CHAN group stage match.
Bafana will face co-hosts Uganda at the Mandela National Stadium in their last Group C match on Monday night (7pm kick-off). Ntseki’s men must win the clash to qualify for the knockout stage, as they currently sit third with five points, one behind log leaders Uganda, known as the Cranes.
The hosts are expected to be formidable opponents, with supporters likely to pack the stadium and rally behind their team. Despite his squad being largely made up of free agents, Ntseki believes they have sufficient experience to survive in hostile environments.
“Some of them have played for the national team and at AFCON before,” Ntseki said.
“These are players who have competed at a professional level for five to 15 seasons. We have our assistant coach (Reneilwe Letsholonyane), who played at the 2010 World Cup, our analyst (Thabo Mnyamane), who played in the Premier League, and our conditioning coach (Kabelo Rangoaga), who has worked at Al Ahly.
“I think they’ll go home from home, and they’ll still stay at home.”
Ntseki stressed the importance of sticking to their game plan despite the expected hostility from the home fans. He recalled Bafana overcoming adversity during the 2019 AFCON in Egypt.
“We need to focus on what we are able and prepared to do going into this game,” he explained.
“We played against Egypt in Cairo at the 2019 AFCON and won 1-0. Playing against the hosts and their supporters is nothing new to us.
“What matters is our performance on the day and how we conduct ourselves. Mental strength will be key in terms of our tactical endurance.”
Ntseki also highlighted that Uganda will face significant pressure to secure victory and progress, given the investment in their squad and hosting responsibilities.
“The pressure is on Uganda because expectations are very high,” he said. “Hosting this tournament is preparation for the 2027 AFCON.
“Every player will want to perform to ensure they make the final squad. A lot of investment has gone into this tournament, especially by the hosts, and with the support they’re getting, expectations are sky-high.”
“As for us, going into the match against Uganda (Monday), we’ll stick to our plan and play our game.”
