Staff Reporter.
Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos is feeling confident ahead of their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Liberia at the Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg on Friday evening, 6pm.
Broos has struggled to select a settled squad in his first two years at the helm and called up a staggering 68 players prior to naming his 23-man party for the two encounters with the Lone Stars this month.
However, the Belgian tactician believes the current crop of players has what it takes to secure qualification for the showpiece in Ivory Coast next year.
South Africa have yet to put any points on the board in group K after being beaten 2-1 by Morocco in Rabat on matchday one. Only three teams are contesting the group following Zimbabwe’s disqualification and the Atlas Lions lead the way on six points after winning their opening two games.
Broos’ side are unbeaten since their defeat at the hands of the 2022 World Cup semifinalists, recording wins against Sierra Leone (4-0), Botswana (1-0) and Mozambique (2-1), while playing out to a 1-1 draw with Angola.
The 70-year-old has stressed the importance of picking up six points from their next two matches to ensure Bafana’s place at Afcon 2023.
“We are confident. We played four good games in September and November,” Broos said. “There was one game that was less remarkable.
“It was against Botswana, but that was my responsibility. I changed the whole team to see the players that I had not seen so much in action.
“We have a close group. We feel these two matches will be a mental struggle. It is always better when you have a close group than having players who do not like to be in the team. If we want to be sure of qualifying, we have to win those two games.”
Liberia have a new man in charge after Ansumana Keita replaced the sacked Thomas Kojo in January, with the latter shown the door following the 2-0 defeat to Morocco in Casablanca on 13 June.
The West Africans failed to win any of their six matches in 2022, losing all but one – a 0-0 draw with Niger on 27 September.
Keita has come in for criticism back home after being appointed on a two-year contract as he lacks experience coaching at the highest level.
But the 40-year-old, who most recently served as coach of the Under-17 national team, is unfazed by his detractors, insisting they only encourage him to work harder.
“I am not God but I will do my best. People who doubt me, I love them,” Keita said in his first press conference.
“People who criticise me, they are the best. They make me work hard. They keep my feet on fire. So I can’t do wrong. I will do my best and will never disappoint my country.