OWN CORRESPONDENT, Kumasi | Thursday 12.45pm.
WITH three points in the kitty, Group B leaders South Africa are not leaving anything to chance in their encounter with unfancied Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday.
“We are playing to consolidate our position in the group,” Captain Lucas Radebe said in Kumasi on Thursday. The match kicks off at 8:30pm.
He said the 1996 champions are poised to repeat their performance in this year’s African Nations Cup which Ghana is co-hosting with Nigeria.
Bafana cannot, however, afford complacency, as the Democratic Republic of Congo are certain to pose problems after their sterling 0-0 draw with Algeria in their opening match.
Swiss-based striker Shaun Bartlett said he is ready to repeat his superlative records against the “Simba”, as the Congolese team are called, especially after his fine performance against Gabon in the South Africans’ opening encounter.
It was Bartlett who woke the Bafana Bafana up with two goals to make it 3-1 after teenager Shiva Nzighou put Gabon ahead and Dumisa Ngobe equalised before half-time on Sunday.
“We are not going to disappoint coach Trott Moloto, who has worked day and night to make us a winning team,” Bartlett said.
Moloto said the team won’t allow previous victories to go to their heads. “We are not resting on our oars,” he said.
“Today’s game is like any other one. It will be straight to business as usual,” he added. — AFP