The feeling among Bafana Bafana players remains positive ahead of their final world cup qualifier against Rwanda at Mbombela Stadium, according to captain Ronwen Williams.

Lowvelder reports a lot is still at stake for Bafana Bafana during Fifa World Cup qualification in the Mpumalanga capital tonight. A win for South Africa, combined with a loss for Benin against Nigeria, would secure qualification. If Bafana Bafana wins and Benin draws with Nigeria, the situation would come down to some serious mathematics.

Belief and focus within the squad

Despite wishing they were in a better position going into the Rwanda clash, Williams and his charges remain firmly focused on the task at hand. “The boys are ready to get the job done. There’s no need to doubt the quality that we have in the team. We’ll go out tomorrow with the same belief, the same faith that we’ve had over the last few years,” he said during a press conference yesterday.

“Yes, it [the Zimbabwe draw] was a setback, but we shouldn’t forget what we’ve done the last few years, we’ve come on in leaps and bounds.”

Williams also believes Bafana Bafana will go into the Rwanda game without trying to change much in their approach. “We still believe in the team that we’ve got, that it’s all to play for, and that we can make history – you can sense that inside the team and the players,” he said. “[Today] you’ll see the fighting spirit from the team, we’ll leave it all out on the field.”

Focus on the field, not other results

Bafana Bafana will look to not get caught up in putting their focus anywhere other than on the field in Mbombela. “We can’t control what happens in Nigeria. The most important factor is for us to win our game,” Williams added, saying he’ll be leading the charge in the dressing room’s belief. “I believe in fairytales, so we’ll go out with the same mindset.”

Mbombela Stadium a fortress for Bafana

Bafana Bafana’s record at Mbombela Stadium bodes well, as the national team has yet to lose here. With six wins and four draws from 10 matches, fans have reason to feel optimistic ahead of tonight, when the match kicks off at 18:00.

Fans could witness South Africa secure world cup qualification for the first time since 2002, having only played in 2010 as hosts.

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