By Kevin Rademeyer, Sports Journalist.
After weeks of preparation and a testing training camp in Morocco, Bafana Bafana will finally begin their Africa Cup of Nations campaign tonight when they face Angola at the Grand Stade de Marrakech.
The opening Group B encounter marks a significant moment for head coach Hugo Broos, who will take charge of the national side for the 50th time. Yet milestones have taken a back seat in the South African camp, with the focus firmly on securing a positive start in a group that also includes Egypt and Zimbabwe.
Broos has been clear about the importance of the opener, describing it as vital to easing early pressure and setting the tone for the tournament. “We are very happy that we can start this tournament and play our first game,” Broos said. “We all know that we will face a tough opponent in Angola, but I think my team is ready. It is very important to win the first game because you make a big step towards qualification and surviving the group stages.”
South Africa and Angola have met four times at previous AFCON tournaments, with Bafana winning twice and the other two matches ending in draws. Despite that record, Broos has cautioned against any sense of comfort, insisting his side must perform at their best if they are to harbour hopes of lifting the trophy for the first time since 1996.
Captain Ronwen Williams believes the squad has grown steadily sharper as the camp has progressed, particularly after the arrival of European based players such as Lyle Foster, Shandre Campbell and Yaya Sithole.
“The preparations were a bit strange at first because overseas players joined later,” Williams said. But once everyone arrived, the mood improved, the training intensity improved and the team spirit got much better.”
“The last few days have been really good. Training has been solid and you can see that the boys understand what it means to play at AFCON. The quality has improved and we look good as a team. We know how important it is to start well and we cannot wait to get going.”
While expectations have risen following Bafana’s bronze medal finish at the previous AFCON in Ivory Coast, Broos has firmly rejected suggestions that South Africa should be considered among the favourites in Morocco.
“I think it is always dangerous to call yourself a favourite, “he said. :”This is something for the media or supporters. This AFCON will be tougher than the one in Ivory Coast because I do not think the big countries will make the same mistakes again.”
Broos pointed to traditional powers such as Egypt, Cameroon, Ghana and hosts Morocco as teams likely to respond strongly this time around, making the knockout stages particularly demanding. “For the moment, you will not hear me say that South Africa is a favourite,” he added. “If you want to name one, then Morocco is the favourite because they are a very good team and they are playing at home.”
Kick off at the Grand Stade de Marrakech is scheduled for 7pm, with Bafana aiming to lay down an early marker in what promises to be a fiercely competitive tournament.