Durban — A Bafana Bafana side gunning for victory will look to capitalise on coach Morena Ramoreboli’s inside knowledge of Botswana when the two teams meet on Saturday.
The hosts South Africa are on the hunt for their first victory as they target the Zebras in their second match of the group stages at the 2023 edition of the Cosafa Cup.
Having drawn their opener against Namibia, the winners of this competition in 2021 Bafana will be buoyed by pressure to secure an important victory and an expectant crowd at the King Zwelithini Stadium.
Ramoreboli, who is in charge of Bafana in the Cosafa Cup, is also the head coach of reigning Botswana Premier League champions Jwaneng Galaxy, and he revealed while speaking to the media that he was well-informed of their next opponent and doesn't expect huge changes when they meet them next.
“We’ve gotten to the stage where tactics might change but the personnel won't change or if they change the personnel, the tactics won't change and that's one thing I know about them,” he told the media
“If I had the time, I would go through their most likely line-up but we know what to expect.”
Bafana currently sits on one point after one match and will face a Botswana side already with a bumper three points at the top of the log.
The home team needed a spirited second-half display to rescue a point against Namibia in the opening game and Ramoreboli believes his men will have to overcome a little adversity and pressure and seek out a complete performance.
“It's just unfortunate that Keagan Allen is injured(groin) and may not feature in the match but it’s just a matter of balancing our game and playing the match as if we want to win, it's a match we'll need to try and compete consistently until the last minute,” he told the media.
He then added, “I believe we have an opportunity to get the results because of the momentum we got from the last game but its a matter of preparing well for the next match and understand that everyone wants to beat South Africa and we have to cope with that pressure to get the result.”
Bafana has an unmissable dominance over the fixture dating back to over a decade having not lost the ten meetings against neighbours Botswana.
Although a different group, the quality of Bafana in comparison to their opponent will make them favourites ahead of this encounter.
IOL Sport