Bafana ready to do more damage

Bafana Bafana midfielder Lebo Maboe is clearly a hard taskmaster when judging his own performance, and believes there is room for improvement when South Africa take on the Seychelles in their Group E 2019 Africa Cup of Nations re-match at the Stade Linite in Victoria today (3.30pm SA time).

After hammering the Seychelles 6-0 at the FNB Stadium on Saturday, Bafana might be expected to cruise through against an opposition that look by far the weakest team in the group. But they must also be wary of complacency that can follow a result like Saturday’s and on what is said to be a tricky pitch in the Seychelles.

Maboe was excellent on debut on Saturday, providing two assists, and that has increased his appetite for more of the same.

“Maybe I can give a better performance than I showed on Saturday, I still think I can offer far more,” said the man who joined Mamelodi Sundowns from Maritzburg United this season.

“I am looking at cementing my place in the national team, to work hard for the nation and qualify for the Afcon, and to win more trophies with Sundowns,” added Maboe.

READ: Maboe plans to put on a show against Seychelles

Coach Stuart Baxter has done his best to stay calm after such an impressive win on Saturday, and warned of different conditions in the Seychelles today.

“Their pitch is not easy to play on. I spoke to the Nigeria coach when we were in London at the Fifa Awards, and he said when the ball came down it bounced as high as it had gone up. It will be a difficult game, we might have to tweak our approach, but if the players can show the same passion they can do it on any pitch.

“I watched Nigeria play these guys (the Seychelles) and they didn’t look bad. Nigeria scored a wonder goal, a goal from a set- play, and one from open play.

“They (the Seychelles) created two massive chances against Nigeria – they tried to play, they were better on their pitch.

“They will be hoping in the first five minutes to see a lot of the ball and us struggling and if they are buoyed by that, they will think they have a chance. It is up to us to kill that optimism.”

READ: Baxter warns Bafana not to get carried away

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