Bafana will play attacking football against Nigeria – Maboe
Lebo Maboe believes Bafana Bafana will go on the attack when they take on Nigeria in Saturday's 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at FNB Stadium.
Lebohang Maboe of South Africa during the 2019 Afcon Qualifier South Africa training session at Steyn City School, Johannesburg (Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix)
South Africa trail the Super Eagles by a point at the top of Group E, despite winning their opening qualifier against Nigeria in Uyo in March 2017. Draws at home to Libya and in the Seychelles have set Stuart Baxter’s men back, though they should still qualify for Cameroon 2019, given that the top two sides in the group will make it to the tournament.
If South Africa win on Saturday they will qualify, while a point or a defeat will probably leave them needing to avoid defeat in their final qualifier away to Libya in March.
“Obviously it is going to be a very big game …. knowing that they (Nigeria) are coming here (to South Africa) I don’t think the coach will want us to sit back, we have to use our home advantage to win the game,” Bafana midfielder Maboe told SABC Sport.
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Bafana trained twice yesterday at Steyn City School, playing an internal training match in the morning. Thulani Serero is back in full training, which gives Baxter a major boost, given the Bafana head coach’s injury-ravaged midfield.
Given Serero’s past behaviour with regard to the national team, picking him had to be a risk, but there is no doubting his ability. It remains to be seen if Baxter will use Serero in the more defensive role he plays for his Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem, or as the attacking threat that did so well with Ajax Cape Town in the season before he moved to Ajax Amsterdam.
As for the Super Eagles, they are only expected to arrive in the country later today, with Gernot Rohr’s side camping in Asaba, Nigeria.
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According to reports from Nigeria, the Group E leaders had 22 players in camp by Tuesday evening, with only Bordeaux striker Samuel Kalu missing – Kalu was due to arrive yesterday.
With striker Odion Ighalo, who scored five goals in two games against Libya last month, out injured, the responsibility of leading the line for Nigeria is likely to fall upon Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho, while Alex Iwobi could provide the creative spark, having been in fine form for Arsenal this season.
Bafana will move their training to the FNB Stadium from today, as their preparations gather momentum.
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