WeeklySA_AdminAFCON QUALIFIERS: MOROCCO MADE IT TO THE SEMI-FINALS OF QATAR 2023 WORLD CUP
By Sports Reporter
Hugo Broos’ charges, who have already achieved qualification for the AFCON finals in Ivory Coast next year, take on the Atlas Lions on Saturday 17 June 2023 at the FNB Stadium. The match will get underway at 17h00.
The Belgian coach announced a preliminary 34-member Bafana Bafana squad last month and has now trimmed the list to his final 23 players. The Bafana Bafana coach said he does not need to motivate his players against a quality side that went all the way to the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar last year.
“If we get a good result, it will be good for us. It will be good for them too if they get a good result,” he said. Bafana Bafana will go into the game on the back of an unbeaten run that began last year.
The run began in September when Broos’ charges beat Sierra Leone and Botswana in two friendlies played at FNB Stadium and they have been unbeaten since.
The South African senior men’s national team went into camp on Sunday and are currently in camp at the University of Pretoria’s High Performance Centre (HPC) though the first day of camp started with mixed feelings as one of the youngest players, Cassius Mailula, turned 22 years old. But there was also deep sadness following the passing of former Bafana Bafana coach Clive Barker on Saturday (10 June 2023).
Captain Ronwen Williams reflected on the legacy of the 78-year-old Barker, who led Bafana Bafana to the Africa Cup of Nations title in 1996, and also spearheaded the country’s first appearance at the FIFA World Cup in France in 1998.
“We have reflected on the man he (Barker) was and the contribution he has made to South African football, and the impact he has had on the lives of players and their careers,” said Williams.
Turning to the mouthwatering clash against the World Cup semifinalists, Broos was optimistic about the plans he has in place as the countdown continues to Saturday’s showdown. The coach said that the mood in camp, the fitness of his players and the camaraderie within the set-up was of paramount importance ahead of a match that will get underway at 17h00.
“We have a great group of players who work well together and will give anything to win,” said the Belgian mentor. “We are only waiting for the international-based players to arrive in camp – they are Percy Tau, Njabulo Blom, Bongokuhle Hlongwane and Luke Le Roux. Everyone knows what is expected of them and while we respect Morocco, we need to focus on our game.’’
Published on the 103rd Edition
