On Monday, Bafana will take on Angola in their AFCON Group B opener in Marrakech.
Bafana Bafana were set to finally be at full strength on Thursday as they landed in Marrakech ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in Morocco.
Bafana’s cross-continental travel
The bulk of the squad left Johannesburg on Wednesday night for a long trip to Morocco via Dubai. Bafana were set to fly from Dubai to Casablanca, and then travel to Marrakech where they will be camping at the Four Seasons Hotel.
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“It is a problem in Africa, that travel in Africa is so difficult,” Bafana head coach Hugo Broos told SABC News at the airport ahead of his side’s departure.
“This (going via Dubai) is the best solution but it is not good either.”
Upon arrival in Marrakech, Bafana were set to welcome Lyle Foster, Shandre Campbell and Sphephelo Sithole into the set up. The trio travelled straight to Marrakech on Thursday from their respective European clubs.
Bafana will play Angola on Monday at the Marrakech Stadium, which does not give Broos much time to work with his full squad. Then again, this applies to all the countries at the tournament, on the back of Fifa’s ridiculous decision that clubs were only obliged to release their players for the competition this past Monday.
South Africa lost their opening game of the last AFCON, going down 2-0 to Mali. They recovered brilliantly, making it all the way to the semifinals, and ultimately finishing in third place in the Ivory Coast.
Broos, however, is adamant Bafana must not lose against Angola.
“It is very important we do not lose to Angola. At the last AFCON we lost to Mali and played the second game with a knife at our throats already. Let’s beat Angola and play a draw against Egypt and then we will 75-80 percent be past the group stages,” added Broos.
‘A very tough tournament’
The Bafana coach pointed to the unpredictability of the last tournament, meanwhile, when asked if the side could better their achievement from the last AFCON and even go on and win a first continental crown since 1996.
“We want to bring back gold, for sure. But this is a very tough tournament,” said Broos.
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“We saw last time that everyone though it would be Morocco or Senegal (to win). In the end it was the Ivory Coast, who at a certain moment looked out (of the competition). They had a bit of luck and stayed in it.”
“No one expected South Africa (to do well) and with a bit of luck in the semis we could have played in the final. So it is very difficult to predict before a tournament. But you can be sure of one things and that is we will be going for only one thing – to bring the cup to South Africa.”
