Bafana Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba says the tour of central America has helped build unity in the team ahead of next month's home-and-away 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Angola.
Bafana beat Costa Rica 1-0 in a friendly match on Friday, thanks to a goal from KV Oostende midfielder Andile Jali, and now face a Honduras side that is ranked joint 89th with the country Mashaba's side recently lost to in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, Mauritania.
Honduras, who host the match at Olympico Metropolitan Stadium tomorrow (2am South Africa time), have just four European-based players in their squad and are not as strong as the Costa Rican side Bafana faced last week.
Mashaba would be delighted to get a victory against the Hondurans to keep the momentum going, but he'll be hoping his boys can transfer their form in the friendly matches to the competitive ones that are lined up in the near future.
"I have always maintained that winning is a good culture to develop. The tour of central America has really cemented the unity among players and most of them will form a solid foundation for a team that will play against Angola," Mashaba told Safa media.
"Everything seems to be coming together. The combination at the back and midfield is any coach's dream and we just need to beef up the strike force going forward."
As is the case with Bafana, Honduras will be using the match as preparation for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
They face Canada away next month and will be hoping not only to qualify for the showpiece in Russia, but to perform better after disastrous showings in the last two World Cup tournaments.
Honduras were in South Africa five years ago and they finished bottom of Group H on one point.
It was even worse for them at the World Cup in Brazil last year, going home with a big zero in the points column after conceding eight goals in their three defeats.
One player Bafana need to look out for is Spain-based player Anthony Lozano.
The 22-year-old striker, who plays for second tier outfit Tenerife, has scored four goals in seven matches for his club this season and has five international goals in 18 appearances.
Lozano, one of the players for the future, scored 26 goals in 38 appearances last season for Olimpia in the Honduran league.
Tour cements Bafana unity
Bafana Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba says the tour of central America has helped build unity in the team ahead of next month's home-and-away 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Angola.
Bafana beat Costa Rica 1-0 in a friendly match on Friday, thanks to a goal from KV Oostende midfielder Andile Jali, and now face a Honduras side that is ranked joint 89th with the country Mashaba's side recently lost to in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, Mauritania.
Honduras, who host the match at Olympico Metropolitan Stadium tomorrow (2am South Africa time), have just four European-based players in their squad and are not as strong as the Costa Rican side Bafana faced last week.
Mashaba would be delighted to get a victory against the Hondurans to keep the momentum going, but he'll be hoping his boys can transfer their form in the friendly matches to the competitive ones that are lined up in the near future.
"I have always maintained that winning is a good culture to develop. The tour of central America has really cemented the unity among players and most of them will form a solid foundation for a team that will play against Angola," Mashaba told Safa media.
"Everything seems to be coming together. The combination at the back and midfield is any coach's dream and we just need to beef up the strike force going forward."
As is the case with Bafana, Honduras will be using the match as preparation for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
They face Canada away next month and will be hoping not only to qualify for the showpiece in Russia, but to perform better after disastrous showings in the last two World Cup tournaments.
Honduras were in South Africa five years ago and they finished bottom of Group H on one point.
It was even worse for them at the World Cup in Brazil last year, going home with a big zero in the points column after conceding eight goals in their three defeats.
One player Bafana need to look out for is Spain-based player Anthony Lozano.
The 22-year-old striker, who plays for second tier outfit Tenerife, has scored four goals in seven matches for his club this season and has five international goals in 18 appearances.
Lozano, one of the players for the future, scored 26 goals in 38 appearances last season for Olimpia in the Honduran league.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Latest Videos