Bafana Bafana midfielder Lance Davids is not crying over spilt milk.
He and his national teammates are determined to get on with the job at hand and put last Sunday’s 2-0 loss against Nigeria in Abuja behind them as they prepare for their next 2010 African Nations Cup qualifier against Equatorial Guinea at Atteridgeville’s Super Stadium on Saturday.
Davids is happy to be returning to the Super Stadium for the first time since March, where Bafana scored their 3-0 win over Paraguay in a friendly in preparation for the four back-to-back African Nations Cup qualifiers this month.
Said Davids: ”The fans at the Super Stadium are great. They will lift the players. But we know what we have to do. It was hot and difficult for us in Abuja against Nigeria. We are not feeling sorry for ourselves, we are all professional players and paid to play and win matches.
”At home it is vital we collect three points. We do not need sympathy, only three points. Let’s face it, losing to Nigeria away was not a good start to the campaign, but it was not a train smash either.”
Davids, who plays in Sweden for Djurgardens, explained: ”Due to the fact that South Africa are the 2010 World Cup hosts, we have already qualified for the World Cup. These qualifiers we are busy with count towards both the Nations and World cups. We only have to finish second in the four-team group to book our place in Angola in 2010. And that is our priority.”
Davids stressed that Nigeria were under more pressure as they have to win the group to stand a chance of qualifying for the South African showpiece in 2010.
Said Davids: ”We are not under as much pressure as second place will be good enough for us.” He also said that switching coaches a week before the start of the Group Four campaign did not help the squad.
Joel Santana replaced his countryman, Carlos Alberto Parreira, last month after World Cup-winner Parreira quit the Bafana hot seat, claiming that he was needed by his wife who is ill.
Said Davids: ”The win over Paraguay showed we were getting used to Parreira. Now we have another coach and it will take time for him to get used to the players and the players to get used to his methods. But I am confident that we will start clicking soon. A win over Equatorial Guinea will do wonders and boost our qualifying campaign.”
Davids stressed that Bafana need an early goal. ”We are playing at home and must take the initiative. An early goal would set us up nicely and, with the fans behind us, we could go on and repeat the performance we showed against Paraguay.”
Davids is the only player in Santana’s squad who has any experience of playing against Equatorial Guinea.
”I played in a South African under-17 qualifier away against equatorial Guinea about five years ago. We drew that game 1-1. But on Saturday in our first senior meeting we have to go one better and collect all three point,” Davids said.
Midfield hard man Kagisho Dikgacoi said that he was happy to play wherever Santana asked him to play. The Golden Arrows star was played out of position at right back against Nigeria and he struggled due to lack of pace.
”I prefer to play in a central holding midfield role, but if the coach wants me to play in another position I am ready.”
Dikgacoi added that Bafana have a lot to prove against Equatorial Guinea. He said: ”We are playing for not just three points, but for our pride,” said Dikgacoi. — Sapa