Bafana
Bafana have completed preparations for their COSAFA CUP Zambia 2013
quarterfinal clash against Namibia.
The
match will be played at the Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka, Zambia.
Kickoff
is at 15h30.
South
Africa has been beset by challenges with players withdrawing from the squad due
to the tournament not falling in the FIFA calendar. But head coach Gordon
Igesund has been able to get his team settled, and after two training sessions
in the captain Lusaka is confident to face Namibia.
“I
am happy to be in this situation because most players do well under pressure
and this might be a good thing for us. I am just hopeful that the selected
players get to show the country what they are about,” said Igesund.
“We
have a group of very talented and hungry players who are ready to prove
themselves. Even though we have had only two training sessions, I have seen the
passion and determination in these players. I believe they can do it.”
South
Africa comes up against a Namibia side that has scored six goals in two matches
in the Cosafa Cup tournament so far, and could prove a hard nut to crack for
Bafana Bafana. Namibia defeated Mauritius 2-1 and downed the Seychelles 4-2 to
reach the quarterfinals.
Bafana
Bafana’s opponents are led by coach Ricardo Mannetti, who played under Igesund
at Santos, and might want to prove a point.
The
two sides have met five times before – South Africa winning two times, Namibia
once and the other two matches drawn.
In
the first match in 1998, Namibia beat Bafana Bafana 3-2 in the Cosafa Cup. A
month later South Africa reversed the results, emerging 4-1 winners in the
Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Burkina Faso.
- SAFA
