Williams banks on Downs stars to help Bafana beat Liberia

Mamelodi Sundowns make up the majority of the Bafana Bafana squad to face Liberia in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, and their experience in continental competition could be crucial, SA captain Ronwen Williams says. 

Williams, who has excelled since joining Downs from SuperSport United in July, is one of eight Sundowns members of coach Hugo Broos’s squad for the matches at Orlando Stadium on Friday (6pm) and Monrovia on Tuesday where four points will take SA to the Nations Cup. 

Downs are enjoying another strong Caf Champions League campaign under Rhulani Mokwena in 2022/2023. They have reached the quarterfinals, topping Group B, including a 5-2 home thrashing of 10-time winners Al Ahly. 

Many of the Brazilians’ players have cut their teeth in multiple tough continental campaigns. It has long been thought Broos should base most of his squad on Sundowns, which the Belgian seemed reluctant to do early in his tenure, though he has since relented. 

Goalkeeper Williams, Grant Kekana, Thapelo Morena, Maphosa Modiba, Mothobi Mvala, Teboho Mokoena, Themba Zwane and scoring sensation Cassius Mailula are likely to give Broos the core of his team against Liberia.  

“It’s nice having a lot of familiar faces,” Wiliams said, but the main thing is that all 23 players are here for a reason: “It shows they’re doing well for their clubs.

“We all have a job, which is for whoever is on the field on the day to represent SA and do well and qualify for Afcon.

“We’ll speak to the [other] guys, [pass on] the experience we’ve picked up the last few months, the last few years some of them [from Sundowns], just to make things a bit easier and use it to our advantage.” 

With a front line that seems likely to include in-form attackers such as Orlando Pirates’s Monnapule Saleng, Mailula, Burnley’s Lyle Foster and Ahly’s Percy Tau, Williams said Bafana should score against the Lone Stars, so it is up to the defence to keep up their end. 

“Once you keep a clean sheet, half the job is done. As defenders, that’s what we pride ourselves in. We know we’ve got the firepower up front, with so many good attackers doing well in their respective leagues. 

“It’s just for us to stay focused and solid at the back and not give away silly goals. “We’ve learnt from our mistakes, especially in the November camp where we had to analyse [our play].” 

The expulsion of Zimbabwe from the Nations Cup by Fifa left SA in three-team group K.  Bafana and Liberia lost their opening games to Morocco — SA 2-1 in Rabat, and Liberia 2-0 at home in a game played in Morocco because their ground in Monrovia was deemed unsuitable.