South Africa's Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane is taking a cautious approach ahead of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) Group D qualifier against Eritrea on Wednesday. The match will be held at Al Salam Stadium in Cairo, with kick-off at 6pm SA time. Eritrea is hosting the match at a neutral venue as their home stadium is not approved by the Confederation of Africa. Mosimane believes this neutral venue strengthens his team's chances of securing a crucial 'away' win.
Mosimane's team sits at the top of Group D after their 2-1 win against Guinea at Orlando Stadium on Saturday. This was Mosimane's first match back in his second tenure as Bafana coach. He is aware that Eritrea earned an impressive 1-1 draw against Kenya in Nairobi on Saturday. As a result, Mosimane is warning his team not to expect an easy match against the 184th-ranked East Africans.
Mosimane has identified Eritrea's star striker Ali Sulieman as a key threat. Sulieman plays for Al Masry in Egypt and scored three goals in Eritrea's 4-1 aggregate win against Eswatini in a preliminary round qualifier. Mosimane described Sulieman as a fast and deadly player who can score from any angle and is a threat at set-pieces and penalties.
The Bafana coach emphasized the importance of respecting Eritrea as opponents. He highlighted that Eritrea managed to qualify for the group stage and gave Kenya a scare in their opener. Mosimane stressed that his team needs to remember their own quality and attempt to dominate the game. He also acknowledged areas for improvement after their match against Guinea.
Mosimane expects his team to show the same attitude and work rate against Eritrea as they did against Guinea. He wants his players to respect the flag and work hard, not to slouch or walk through the match. The coach also identified Nahom Netabaym, who scored against Kenya and plays for Degerfors IF in Sweden, as another danger man in Eritrea's midfield.
Bafana Bafana have some injury concerns ahead of the match. Aubrey Modiba limped off injured against Guinea, and his natural replacement at left-back would be Fawaaz Basadien. Mosimane will need to assess Modiba's fitness before making his final team selection.
The match against Eritrea is crucial for Bafana Bafana's chances of qualifying for the 2027 Afcon. Mosimane's team will need to secure a positive result to maintain their position at the top of Group D. The coach's experience and tactical acumen will be vital in navigating this challenging match.
Key points
- Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane is wary of Eritrea's star striker Ali Sulieman ahead of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
- Mosimane's team needs to remember their quality and attempt to dominate the game against Eritrea.
- The match against Eritrea is crucial for Bafana Bafana's chances of qualifying for the 2027 Afcon.
