Bafana’s dreams on the line in Red Devils’ clash
HERMAN GIBBS
Bafana Bafana's African Cup of Nations 2025 ambitions face an acid test in Brazzaville this evening as Congo-Brazzaville tries to redeem themselves after a crushing 5-0 defeat in Gqeberha this past Friday.
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The Congo coach, Isaac Ngata, acknowledged defeat afterwards but said the outcome did not reflect his team's ability. He refused to use the team's chaotic preparations as a reason for the poor showing. After his team trailed 2-0 midway through the first half, he was surprised by the lack of willpower in their ranks.
Ngata didn't make a fuss about Congo fielding a depleted team after missing three regulars, who failed to pitch for the trip to South Africa. Two stalwarts, defender Bryan Passi and midfielder Fred Dembi, have returned from suspension and will likely be in the run-on XI this evening.
Ngata's parting words to the media before flying out to Brazzaville on Saturday were, "In the second leg, things will change. We'll prepare for that physically and mentally."
The Congo side will be a different proposition in front of the home crowd at the spanking new Stade Alphonse Massemba-Débat in Kinshasa. The facility, with its artificial pitch, was Fifa-approved three months ago, and the national team has had two outings there already.
Ngata made no secret of his motivation theme for the team talks ahead of tonight's clash. The team owes it to the Congo fans to show they are a team better than their 5-0 defeat suggests.
It sounds like the scene is set for the team to show why they are labelled the 'Red Devils' and subject the South Africans to a match made in hell, in a country where football is treated like a religion.
During the Gqeberha match, Congo's players showed excellent touches but had no cohesion in their ranks. As a result, they were unable to challenge Bafana Bafana's dominance.
Congo enjoyed a mere 34% possession advantage, but they fashioned four shots at goal, and they were denied by Bafana Bafana's classy goalkeeper Ronwen Williams. Thanks to his remarkable reflexes, two of Williams' saves were out of the top drawer.
This may be why Ngata has not lost heart ahead of the return clash after arriving in Kinshasa on Saturday. The squad would have had time to regroup and would be running out in front of their fans in a far better frame of mind.
Bafana Bafana's streetwise coach, Hugo Broos, will remember his team's vulnerability on the road. Last November, Rwanda, one of Africa's weakest teams, defeated the South Africans 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier.
Last month, another African minnow side, South Sudan, was on the verge of holding Bafana Bafana to a draw, but Thalente Mbatha saved the team's blushes with an injury-time goal. The Rwanda defeat will stand the team in good stead because of the experience of playing on the Huye Stadium's artificial pitch.
Broos nearly lost his rag because his players failed to adapt to the foreign playing surface. This time, the team will be ready to adapt to the unfamiliar pitch conditions and try to impose their game plan on the match from the opening whistle.
They did so in Gqeberha with smiles on their faces. Let's hope Bafana Bafana's burgeoning talents will be mentally strong enough to contend with the unsettling intimidation of the expected 33,000-strong crowd.