Bafana brace for familiar test against Zimbabwe in AFCON Group decider

Bafana Bafana are ready to navigate familiar territory with a slightly tweaked squad in their bid to reach the AFCON knockout stage at the expense of neighbours Zimbabwe at Stade de Marrakech on Monday night (6pm kick-off).

Bafana face the Warriors in their final Group B clash, a match in which they must secure a result at all costs to guarantee qualification for the last 16 of the continental showpiece currently under way in Morocco.

The South Africans find themselves in this pressured situation after losing their second group-stage match to Egypt on Friday at Stade Adrar, a result that saw them drop to second on the log with three points, three behind log leaders the Pharaohs.

While the situation is not ideal for Bafana, who would have liked to have one foot in the next round by now, it is not unfamiliar territory. In the last edition in Ivory Coast, they headed into their final group-stage match against Tunisia needing a result — a feat they achieved en route to the knockout stage, eventually finishing third in the tournament.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference at the venue on Sunday, coach Hugo Broos was well aware of what is required to reach the promised land.

“For sure, this is an important game for us; we can qualify for the next round,” Broos said. “We are in a little bit of the same situation as two years ago. In the group stage in Ivory Coast, we needed to avoid defeat. If we don’t lose the game tomorrow (on Monday), we are into the next round, and that’s the most important thing for us.”

While Broos and his troops have walked this path before, he knows the Warriors will be a tough nut to crack, especially given the teams’ recent meetings.

The two sides met in the penultimate round of World Cup qualifiers, playing to a goalless draw at Moses Mabhida Stadium. That result derailed Bafana’s eventual qualification for the global showpiece in Morocco, leaving them needing to beat Rwanda in the final qualifier.

For Zimbabwe, meanwhile, the draw was a cause for celebration despite them being all but out of contention for a World Cup spot.

The clash in Marrakech has even more at stake. Zimbabwe could also qualify for the knockout stage with a victory over Bafana. In addition, some of Zimbabwe’s locally based players will be eager to impress at the tournament and attract potential suitors in South Africa.

“On the other hand, we know the opponent will be tough to play against,” Broos added. “It’s not the first time we have played against Zimbabwe. In my four years as Bafana coach, in every AFCON or World Cup qualifier, we were drawn against Zimbabwe.

"We know them very well, and they know us very well too. They like to win against us; we’ve felt that in previous matches. So again, it will be tough tomorrow (on Monday), and we need to be at our best to get the desired result.”

The Warriors should be well prepared for Bafana. They have a new coach in Marian ‘Mario’ Marinică, who has brought a different style of play to the team since taking over from Michael Nees.

“They have a new coach and they are playing in a different way,” Broos noted. “This is not the same Zimbabwe of two to six months ago. They play differently and are very aggressive. That is another aspect we need to consider.”

Broos’ troops are “super motivated” to win the match following a refereeing controversy against the Pharaohs — something that could serve as a stern warning to the Warriors, given that the last time Bafana were in such a mood, they thrashed Rwanda to qualify for the World Cup.