STELLENBOCH, SOUTH AFRICA – JANAURY 08: Teboho Mokoena during the South Africa national mens soccer team media open day at Lentelus Sportsground on January 08, 2023 in Stellenbosch, South Africa. (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)
Even though Bafana Bafana suffered a disappointing start to their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Ivory Coast, all is not lost yet as there is still two games to play to move up the table.
In South Africa’s Group E opener they went down 2-0 to Mali on Tuesday night and Hugo Broos’ men can’t dwell on the past with the attention quickly turning to the Namibia game on Sunday.
Bafana’s neighbours enjoyed a winning start to their tournament against highly fancied Tunisia, upsetting the North African giants 1-0 so now the second game is equally crucial in this tight ”group of death”.
Many pundits have joined coach Hugo Broos in labeling the game as a ‘must-win’ affair, but midfielder Teboho Mokoena has calmed the pressure down. The Mamelodi Sundowns star differs and believes it’s not a win at all cost kind of contest.
“It’s not really a must win, but we must get a result against Namibia. Of course, I won’t be happy but we mustn’t lose to Namibia,” Mokoena told SAFA.
Bafana are bottom of the group and after facing the Brave Warriors, they will then face off with Tunisia on Wednesday. Afcon 2023 is proving to be an interesting competition and Mokoena himself has praised the facilities, playing surfaces and accommodation.
“I think for me it’s been good; they have prepared very well for this tournament where we are staying, what we’re eating, the travelling, escorting and I don’t know about Abidjan but here in Korhogo where we are camping and playing, everything is good, the training pitch where we play is top level,” Mokoena said.
The Sundowns midfield cog featured for the whole match against Les Aigles and has proven to be a pivotal member of Broos’ outfit since May 2021.
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