Bafana coach points to bigger picture against France

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos says victory is not a priority against world champions France in SA’s high-profile international friendly in Lille next week.

Bafana take on the star-studded French side where coach Didier Deschamps is expected to field superstars such as Hugo Lloris, N’Golo Kanté, Paul Pogba, Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappé and Karim Benzema.

On their European tour, SA will also take on Guinea in Belgium on March 25.

Broos, who announced his 25-man preliminary squad on Tuesday, said that even though victory is not a priority for the team, he wants his players to give a good account of themselves.

“Results in those games against France and Guinea are not important. We don’t have to think about victory against France, we are playing the world champions, but we have to produce a good performance and this is important,” he said.

“Guinea is maybe another story and there we can look a bit more to the result, but even if we lose that game maybe I will be satisfied because I would have seen some things that I wanted to see ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in June.

“In a way, this is more training to see some of the new guys and how are they doing, and that has there been an improvement for us. For the next two games it is to see which new players we can use in June and which players will improve the quality.

“We know that we have young and quality players for the future, this is a good thing. What I want now is to improve the quality of the team and therefore I have seen players who I will select for the next games against France and Guinea.”

With results taking a back seat, Broos said the bigger picture is to prepare for the Nations Cup (Afcon) qualifiers as Bafana have to qualify for the tournament in the Ivory Coast in 2023.

“I would like to go to the Africa Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast, we have to be there. SA has to be at Afcon every tournament, there is no excuse.

“SA has to be there every tournament like Cameroon, Senegal, Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, these top countries are always there and SA will have to be like them also.”

Broos has announced his 25-man preliminary squad for the friendlies. The team will be led by Ronwen Williams and Percy Tau. 

Broos continued to overlook Themba Zwane and Andile Jali of Sundowns and the France-based duo of Bongani Zungu and Lebo Mothiba.

Goalkeepers: Ronwen Williams (SuperSport), Bruce Bvuma (Chiefs), Veli Mothwa (AmaZulu), Brylon Petersen (Chiefs).

Defenders: Nyiko Mobbie (Sekhukhune), Siyanda Xulu (unattached), Terence Mashego (Cape Town City), Nkosinathi Sibisi (Arrows), Sbonelo Cele (Arrows), Veluyeke Zulu (Chippa), Rivaldo Coetzee (Sundowns), Athenkosi Mcaba (Stellenbosch), Rushine de Reuck (Sundowns), Khuliso Mudau (Sundowns).

Midfielders: Keagan Dolly (Chiefs), Mduduzi Mdantsane (Cape Town City), Ethan Brooks (TS Galaxy), Lyle Lakay (Sundowns), Thabang Monare (Pirates), Teboho Mokoena (Sundowns), Goodman Mosele (Pirates), Bandile Shandu (Pirates), Pule Mmodi (Arrows).

Strikers: Victor Letsoalo (Royal AM), Fagrie Lakay (Pyramid, Egypt), Percy Tau (Al Ahly, Egypt), Bongokuhle Hlongwane (Minnesota, USA), Lyle Forster (Westerlo, Belgium), Evidence Makgopa (Baroka)