Bafana coach expects Botswana backlash

Baxter’s chargers beat the Zebras 2-0 in the first leg last week in Francistown. The former Kaizer Chiefs coach says they can’t afford to take their foot off the pedal because of the two-goal advantage they have over Botswana.

“Just go back in time and say Botswana has never been an easy opponent, no matter what level we played,” he said. “In Cosafa, we beat them, and we also beat them now in the CHAN, and we did so because we played quite well in two games, but this won’t be an easy game.

“We are rotating our squad, we are playing in a different way, the players are going to be challenged, and if we don’t get our attitude right we could tread on a landmine.”

The English mentor expects Botswana to attack from the first whistle as they have nothing to lose in Saturday’s game.

“I think it’s worth challenging the players in a game where the result is not a foregone conclusion,” he said. “We are not playing against a team that has no players or a poor coach – we are playing against a team that probably has nothing to lose. My father used to say to me, ‘beware the man who has nothing to lose’.

“We are going to have to get our game right. Botswana played one game against us where they were very physical, bordering on brutal, and they played the next game against us where they were very tactical. They wanted to keep the ball for long periods and really wanted to play – we had answers in both games, so I am hoping we have an answer in this one as well.”