With two crucial World Cup and African Cup of Nations qualifiers coming up, Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter will have to find himself a consistent squad.
Starting on Sunday against the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Bafana Bafana must get maximum points to keep them on top of the table and build a cushion for the difficult final group games.
After playing Congo, Bafana Bafana take on Uganda next month before they have a long break from the qualifiers, which resume in March.
Baxter has retained most of the squad that recorded a resounding 2-0 victory over African champions Tunisia in an international friendly in Tunis a few weeks ago.
The South African coach has made it clear that, with the same commitment shown against Tunisia, there is no reason why the team cannot bag three points against the DRC.
‘We will have to build from our win against Tunisia. We played well in that game. We created several chances and used two and I am not too unhappy about that. I am satisfied that we are now able to create chances, but we need to match that with quality finishing,†Baxter said.
A point away to the DRC will be a consolation prize, but a win is needed in order to keep the South African team in pole position. Hopefully, the experience the coach gained from playing away in Ghana, when they did not allow enough time for travel glitches, will help him prepare better against the DRC.
There’s some history between the sides. The DRC team will again be backed by at least 80 000 intimidating fans, and the Bafana players will need nerves of steel. The last time South Africa played in the DRC, in 1998, some of the players came back bloodied and bruised after an ugly 2-0 loss that saw armed soldiers invade the field.
The welcome return of Siyabonga Nomvete and Sibusiso Zuma to the national set-up has helped ease the goal-scoring problem. With Delron Buckley and Zuma both on target for their clubs last weekend, Baxter will hope these wingers can carry that form to the DRC and supply defence-splitting passes to Benni McCarthy and Nomvete.
Talented midfielder Steven Pienaar will have to show why many people believe he is one of the greatest talents ever to come out of South Africa. When on form, the youngster has the ability to hold the ball under pressure and with his combination of vision and touch provide those much-needed passes to strikers to score.
Bafana Bafana possess great solidarity at the back with players such as Hans Vonk, Aaron Mokoena, Mbulelo Mabizela, Nassief Morris and Neil Winstanley, but they will require the midfield and strikers to complement this defensive strength with attacking vision.