Farouk Abrahams | Why Bafana can still make World Cup history
Bafana Bafana face a defining World Cup group-stage test against South Korea with knockout hopes on the line.
Image: IANS
The FIFA World Cup tournament didn't get off to the most romantic start for Bafana Bafana. Defeat and two red cards in the opener against Mexico, followed by a share of the spoils with Czechia, left the South Africans with a sudden-death shootout against South Korea (Thursday, 3am SA time).
Only a win will do if they are to have a shot at a historic first entry into the knockout stages.
Coach Hugo Broos has his work cut out choosing the best eleven players for the do-or-die battle. He has to produce a game plan that can deliver a passage to the promised land.
It is not an enviable task. The Koreans are an energetic bunch. They just never seem to run out of steam. This promises a free-flowing encounter, which may well suit Bafana should Broos opt to play on the front foot, as opposed to a low-block and counter-attack strategy.
Slow build-ups from the back have proved a risky tactic for Bafana, with a number of miscalculations by goalkeeper and captain Ronwen Williams and his backline. There can be no doubt that Bafana will be met by a high press from Korea to force them into mistakes.
Bafana are always a threat when they move the ball faster, looking for early width and finding eager runners behind the opposition defence.
That much was evident in the last 20 minutes or so of the encounter with Czechia. With that in mind, Broos could do a lot worse than start with Oswin Appolis and Relebohile Mofokeng. It's their kind of game, and that could, in turn, ignite the fire in Iqraam Rayners or Lyle Foster, both in their element when exploiting spaces behind flat defensive lines.
Suspended star midfielder Teboho Mokoena will be sorely missed in the Bafana engine room. While skipper Williams controls proceedings from the goalmouth, it is the workhorse Mokoena who inspires with both practical and motivational leadership further forward.
On the other side, Korea are similarly inspired and driven by former Tottenham Hotspur superstar Son Heung-min. Mokoena would have been tasked with policing the Korean skipper's marauding runs from deep. Broos and his technical team will no doubt employ a restrictive game plan for Heung-min, or it could be curtains for the high hopes of millions of South Africans dreaming of finally cheering on Bafana in the FIFA World Cup knockout stages.
Bafana's overall rearguard plan also needs a bit of tweaking. In the first two Group A outings, there were too many wide open spaces, allowing easy access behind their defensive lines.
A more compact cluster is crucial to avoid a possible rout against opponents who play confidently between exposed backlines.
In contrast, Broos could throw the cat among the pigeons by starting Evidence Makgopa as a target man. The lanky Orlando Pirates striker posed a huge threat when he joined the action in the second half of the Czechia match. That was against a towering Czechia defence, so it could be a mouthwatering prospect to start with Makgopa, given the Koreans do not boast an abundance of height in defence.
Going route one and playing off the second ball deep into the Korean half would be a great option should the experienced Asians employ a high press. Yes, it is akin to the pressure of a penalty shootout going into the sudden-death phase. Bafana must rise to the occasion. They must play without fear of losing. This is their moment to erase all the disappointing group stage exits from our memories. It is a time for Bafana, aka "the boys," to become men.
* Farouk Abrahams is a former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper coach who was part of the 2002 FIFA World Cup technical team in Korea/Japan.
** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.
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