Former Bafana Bafana coach Gordon Igesund doubts they will qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Ivory Coast after last Friday's chaotic 2-2 draw at home to Liberia.
Bafana will be back in action tonight (6pm) in Monrovia, desperate to beat Liberia as a win would see them qualify for the Afcon next year with a match to spare against Morocco.
But Igesund feels it will be an uphill battle for Hugo Broos's men to get a victory away this evening as Liberia will certainly be motivated by last week's spirited comeback, when they overturned a two-goal deficit to force a draw at Orlando Stadium.
"I think they have a big problem now because it is not going to be easy to beat Morocco (in the last match in June)," Igesund explained to Sowetan yesterday.
"Even though they are playing here [against Morocco June 12], if four points are enough to qualify then they got a chance. I don't see them getting a result against Morocco.
"The result on Friday after leading 2-0 was a disaster and they made the task very difficult. I had expected them to beat Liberia when we played them here and away.
"Now they have to beat Liberia. If they lose, they are out, but I'm sure they would have learned a lot from their game on Friday."
Bafana have their backs against the wall against a highly motivated Liberia, who will be backed by a hostile crowd in the 22,000-seat Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium. Igesund feels that will make things worse for SA, who need only a victory to qualify.
"They will have to be on top of their game in Liberia. I think the players are going to be very hungry now because they know that they had a 2-0 lead which would have been great to win that match and go to Liberia, draw the game and qualify," he said.
"Now they are in a big fight and in a situation where they are not guaranteed, they are playing away from home to a team that has confidence now.
"I think the biggest problem they have now is the hostility they are going to face in Liberia. Liberia will never get a better chance and this is a big chance for them to get into the Afcon."
Liberia last qualified for the Afcon in 2002.
Bafana coach Broos will count on Lyle Foster for goals after the striker netted two on Friday.
Igesund doubts Bafana will make Afcon finals
'The biggest problem they have is the hostility they'll face in Liberia'
Image: Lefty Shivambu
Former Bafana Bafana coach Gordon Igesund doubts they will qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Ivory Coast after last Friday's chaotic 2-2 draw at home to Liberia.
Bafana will be back in action tonight (6pm) in Monrovia, desperate to beat Liberia as a win would see them qualify for the Afcon next year with a match to spare against Morocco.
But Igesund feels it will be an uphill battle for Hugo Broos's men to get a victory away this evening as Liberia will certainly be motivated by last week's spirited comeback, when they overturned a two-goal deficit to force a draw at Orlando Stadium.
"I think they have a big problem now because it is not going to be easy to beat Morocco (in the last match in June)," Igesund explained to Sowetan yesterday.
"Even though they are playing here [against Morocco June 12], if four points are enough to qualify then they got a chance. I don't see them getting a result against Morocco.
"The result on Friday after leading 2-0 was a disaster and they made the task very difficult. I had expected them to beat Liberia when we played them here and away.
"Now they have to beat Liberia. If they lose, they are out, but I'm sure they would have learned a lot from their game on Friday."
Bafana have their backs against the wall against a highly motivated Liberia, who will be backed by a hostile crowd in the 22,000-seat Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium. Igesund feels that will make things worse for SA, who need only a victory to qualify.
"They will have to be on top of their game in Liberia. I think the players are going to be very hungry now because they know that they had a 2-0 lead which would have been great to win that match and go to Liberia, draw the game and qualify," he said.
"Now they are in a big fight and in a situation where they are not guaranteed, they are playing away from home to a team that has confidence now.
"I think the biggest problem they have now is the hostility they are going to face in Liberia. Liberia will never get a better chance and this is a big chance for them to get into the Afcon."
Liberia last qualified for the Afcon in 2002.
Bafana coach Broos will count on Lyle Foster for goals after the striker netted two on Friday.
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