Focused: Coach Hugo Broos. Picture: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Bafana Bafana are ready to rock and roll against Morocco in their Africa Cup of Nations last-16 clash at the Stade de San Pedro in Ivory Coast tonight at 10pm.
According to coach Hugo Broos, it’s simple: clear this hurdle and they can easily make the final. Problem is, they face the top-ranked team in Africa tonight.
Boasting big names such as Sofia Amrabat, Achraf Hakimi and Yassine Bounou, World Cup semi-finalists Morocco are clear favourites heading into the clash – even if they are without Hakim Ziyech, who has an ankle injury.
With the odds stacked against them, Broos says: “If we beat them, then we know we have a chance to play in the final. Then you know you have beaten a good side and in the next round, you avoid a big team ...
“I don’t want to underestimate Cape Verde or Mauritania [who played last night and will face the winner of this match in the quarter-finals], but there is a difference when you play them rather than playing against a team like Morocco.”
The two teams locked horns six times before, with Morocco winning twice and SA once. That win for Bafana came in their last meeting in June last year when they beat the Atlas Lions 2-1.
Morocco, meanwhile, enter the match on the back of some controversy, with coach Walid Regragui cleared to be on the touchlines against Bafana after having a ban lifted.
Regragui was banned for four matches (two of which were suspended) and sat out the group match against Zambia after an altercation with DR Congo captain Chancel Mbemba.