It exceeded all Stuart Baxter’s expectations as Bafana Bafana secured one of their most auspicious scalps since returning to the international soccer fold in 1992 by beating the world’s sixth-ranked Mexico 2-1 with a makeshift combination in the Concacaf Gold Cup clash on the outskirts of Los Angeles on Friday night.
”Everyone did his job to the best of his ability and the overall commitment, particularly in the first half, was quite awesome,” said the Bafana coach in a telephone interview on Saturday.
But Baxter had a special word of praise for three players, in particular, who had provided paramount roles in upstaging and stunning the highly regarded four-times winners of the tournament.
”Siyabonga Nomvete, Elrio van Heerden and Phil Evans were simply superb,” said the Bafana coach. ”They were entrusted with key roles in our game plan and produced everything I asked of them.
”Nomvete’s wizardry up front enabled us to implement a tight defensive formation, yet still produce speedy counter-attacks to worry the Mexican defence; Evans played like a seasoned international in the key holding role in midfield; and Van Heerden performed throughout like the professional who has earned so much respect with FC Copenhagen in Denmark.
”But I must add a word of praise for Van Heerden, who has been cruelly victimised in a section of the South African media,” said Baxter. ”For him to have played so well under this extra pressure was truly gratifying.”
The Gary Player maxim ”the harder I work, the luckier I get” seemed to work well for Bafana as they gained a stunning 2-0 half-time lead through Evans and Van Heerden following lightning-fast but well-articulated counter-attacks — in spite of the clinical Mexicans enjoying an overwhelming territorial advantage and coming tantalisingly close to scoring on numerous occasions.
The trend continued in the second period, but the Bafana defence never buckled under the pressure as the Mexicans’ frustration increased the longer the game progressed.
And even after Francisco Rodriguez’s ”guided missile” header following a corner had reduced the deficit in the 82nd minute, there were no signs of capitulating in front of the fiercely partisan 30 000-strong crowd.
Like Bafana, this was not a full-strength Mexican combination, but the result provided ample revenge and satisfaction for the comprehensive beatings South Africa suffered in the two previous games between the teams.
”But the game against the strong-running Jamaicans on Sunday will be a different kettle of fish,” said Baxter, ”and will require the same commitment to gain another victory.” — Sapa