Sono & Mosimane offer Bafana tactical tips ahead of Morocco clash
With the highly anticipated clash between Bafana Bafana and the Atlas Lions of Morocco tonight, two of South African football’s most celebrated figures, Jomo Sono and Pitso Mosimane, have offered some tactical tips to the national team.
Jomo Sono vividly remembers Bafana’s stunning upset over Morocco in the 1998 AFCON. The North African giants were ranked in the top five, but a Jomo Sono-coached Bafana roared into the semifinals with a 2-1 victory in Burkina Faso.
Now, Sono is dreaming of another Bafana triumph. “We must have faith in Bafana Bafana. In 1998, when I was coach, Morocco was ranked as one of the top teams in Africa. We scored [the winning goal] in the 110th minute. We even had a red card,” Sono told FARPost.
The legendary Sono stressed the importance of playing a physical game in the opening 10 minutes.
“They need to be a bit physical in the opening 10 minutes. North Africans don’t like that. They will lose focus [if you do so]. But I think the coach has a plan, and he will execute it well,” he added, stressing the importance of tactical discipline.
Mosimane, who guided Egyptian giants Al Ahly to CAF Champions League glory twice, echoed Sono’s sentiment and emphasised the need for tactical discipline via an X post. The newly appointed Abha Club [Saudi Arabia] coach called on Themba Zwane and Percy Tau to lead the charge.
PITSO MOSIMANE’S TACTICAL TIP TO BAFANA BAFANA
“Yella Shabab! Confidence, resilience, hard work, tactical discipline and teamwork. Let’s put our combination play; lots of teams struggle to stop us. Shika, Lion of Judah, you have extensive experience and leadership in playing these big games. Asiyeni Bafowethu!..,” he wrote on his official X account.
The clash between South Africa and Morocco is set for Tuesday at 10PM [SA Time] at the Stade Lauren Pokou in San Pedro. Of all the top five ranked African teams, Morocco are the only ones remaining.
The Atlas Lions will be out to build on their exceptional run at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where they reached the semi-final. On the other hand, the game is as important for South Africa, whose coach, Hugo Broos, is confident they can cause an upset.
“This AFCON is full of surprises, as we’ve seen from the start. We already beat Morocco a year ago and can do it again. Anything is possible, and we want to create another surprise in this competition. We’re confident. We believe in ourselves and in what we can do. We’ll have to go into this match with the same frame of mind we’ve had recently, but I want us to be at a very high level,” Broos said.
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