Bafana Bafana goalkeepers Renaldo Leaner, Ricardo Goss and Ronwen Williams are taken through their paces ahead of the international friendlies against Panama.
Image: Alche Greeff/BackpagePix
Bafana Bafana mania has gripped Cape Town ahead of the international friendly against Panama at the DHL Stadium on Tuesday (kick-off 7.30pm).
Not since the Fifa World Cup back in 2010 has excitement levels in the Mother City reached such highs for the round-ball game.
The Panama friendly is the last international match Bafana are scheduled to play at home ahead of their departure for the Fifa World Cup in the US, Mexico and Canada in June. It will be Bafana’s first appearance at the global football showpiece since hosting the tournament 16 years ago.
Bafana last played in Cape Town two years ago when they beat South Sudan 3-0 in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
Coach Hugo Broos remembers that night fondly and is excited with his team’s return after such a lengthy absence.
“I was very happy with the opponent (Panama), but I was maybe even happier that we played the second game here in this (Cape Town) stadium,” Broos told the media in Cape Town on Monday.
“It's a fantastic football stadium. We played here a year ago, I think, something like that, or two years ago. I remember the atmosphere, full crowd in the stadium. We were pushed by the crowd.
“So I'm sure of it, that it will be the same thing tomorrow. And when you have such a stadium, the form of the stadium, it's overwhelming.
“But it gives you energy. And for the players, it has to be fantastic to play in that stadium. And the crowd is always there when you come to Cape Town.
“So, I should be disappointed a little bit, if you should tell me now, yes, there will be only 10 000 people. No, no, they'll all be there. And that means also that I love so much Bafana Bafana. And I'm very, very happy with that.”
The Belgian coach has revitalised Bafana’s fortunes since taking over five years ago, nurturing the precocious talent of Cape Town-born forward Oswin Appollis among others, and has witnessed the support of the national team grow in leaps and bounds during his tenure.
With Cape Town set to give Bafana the perfect farewell gift ahead of the Fifa World Cup, Broos also wants his team to play their part in the festivities.
"It was a good test already on Friday and again tomorrow I expect a tough opponent, a good opponent also. So it's alright for the preparation because that is the main goal of those two games.
“The South African people were again there in the stadium. And when I can believe what they told me, it will be a full house tomorrow. So that means that people are still believing in their team.
“That gave them in the past two-three years fantastic performances. And that they are still behind us. Again, we will need them (Tuesday). But also from our side, we are ready to give them a nice evening. And that's what we are going to try."
Cape Times