A different challenge: SA coach Hugo Broos. Picture: Deryck Foster/BackpagePix
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos knows Congo aren’t exactly the King Kong of the football world, but, while they’re not the sterkste, he won’t let his manne underestimate tonight’s opponents.
Some 58 places separate South Africa and tonight’s African Cup of Nations Qualifiers Group K oponents at the Nelson Mandela Stadium, with the hosts ranked 59th and the Congolese 117th on Fifa’s rankings.
Furthermore, Broos knows his team will not be in for a power struggle like they were in their two previous games - the 2-2 draw with Uganda and the 3-2 win over South Sudan.
Bafana ready to face Congo Brazzaville #BafanaPride#AfconQualifier @10bet_ZA@CastleLagerSA@flysaahttps://t.co/GMsgGpLsJK
— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) October 10, 2024
Instead, he expects a technical battle, telling the SABC of their 7pm opponents innie Baai: “Congo is more a technical team, they are not a powerful team - they try to play football.
“So they will be different to the previous opponents [we had]. But that does not mean they are bad.
“They are not a top team, they are 100th [or something] on the list and the last results have not been really positive.
“Again we won’t underestimate an opponent like this, it’s very important that we are ready to start the game and certainly not give them the feeling that they can get a point.
“So it’s very important for us to play our game from the start.”
Hosts Uganda and South Sudan lock horns in the group’s other match at 6pm in Kampala tonight.
dudley.carstens@inl.co.za