'It is clear we have pressure having not qualified for the World Cup in so many years' said the Bafana defender.
Bafana Bafana defender Siyabonga Ngezana has admitted that the side do feel the pressure of qualifying for the 2026 Fifa World Cup finals, after so long in the international wilderness.
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Hugo Broos’ side will face Lesotho today at the Free State Stadium, and Nigeria on Tuesday at the same venue, looking to build on a five point lead at the top of Group C.
Bafana’s Ngezana – ‘It has been a long time’
Only the group winners are guaranteed a place at the finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico next year.
“It is clear we have pressure having not qualified for the World Cup in so many years,” said Ngezana.
“Without mentioning 2010, where we qualified as hosts, it has been a long time since we qualified with results.”
Bafana, indeed, last made it through the qualification process for a World Cup finals when Carlos Queiroz got the team to the 2002 tournament in Japan and South Korea.
Broos has been a revelation as head coach, taking the team to a third-place finish at the most recent Africa Cup of Nations, and now guiding them to a strong position in Group C.
In theory, if other results go their way, Bafana could even qualify for the World Cup with two games to spare, if they can beat Lesotho and the Super Eagles.
There also remains, however, the possibility of Bafana being deducted three points for fielding a suspended player – Teboho Mokoena – in their win over Lesotho in March. Fifa have still not ruled on the matter, and Nigeria head coach Gernot Rohr, for one, is clearly not impressed.
“It is not normal that we don’t know the situation about the points on the log table before our games this week,” Rohr told journalists.
“It is very, very strange. Normally, South Africa should lose three points and they (the points) should go to Lesotho. Nobody knows why they (Fifa) did not take this decision.”
Added advantage
Bafana have the added advantage in Group C of playing two of their ‘away’ matches at home. Lesotho and Zimbabwe do not have stadiums that meet Fifa regulations. Broos’ side face the Warriors next month, while Dikwena are the ‘home’ side in Bloemfontein today.
Concerns about the pitch at the Free State Stadium almost saw this game moved this week to the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium. Whatever the conditions of the playing surface, however, Bafana should have too much quality for Lesotho.
“You cannot underestimate opponents,” added Ngezana, however.
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“We need to respect them and show what we can do on the pitch. It is not going to be a walk in the park. They have experience of the PSL and most our players play in the PSL. We need to bring our A game.”
