Baxter to ring the changes for Zambia

Baxter will be looking to get a look at as many players as possible ahead of the resumption of the team’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in September.

“The team that will play in the final will be a completely different team, it will be 11 different players,” confirmed the Bafana coach, after his side had beaten Angola 6-5 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in normal time on Wednesday at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.

Lebo Mothiba got the goal for Bafana on his debut, and Baxter was pleased with the way all his younger players recovered after a nervy start against Palancas Negras.

The side that started against Angola was a healthy mix of youth and experience, with Mothiba joined by the likes of Al-Ahly’s Phakamani Mahlambi, Bidvest Wits’ Reeve Frosler and Mamelodi Sundowns’ Motjeka Madisha.

“I thought in the first ten to 15 minutes it was noticeable that they were nervous,” said Baxter on his younger players.

“All of them made simple mistakes, but when they settled I think all of them equipped themselves nicely … it was a first taste for many and a difficult opponent, for them it was a big game and I think they did quite nicely.”

Bafana fell behind in the first half to a goal from Djalma Campos, but Mothiba levelled five minutes after the break. In the shoot-out, Darren Keet saved the 13th spot- kick and Sibusiso Vilakazi netted to put Bafana through.

Baxter added that he made a couple of tactical changes at half-time.

“I thought we had already started to adapt and manage the game better, but there was one structural thing,” he said.

“We were pressing with our number 10 going forward and pressing the centreback, and it was running him out of the game, so we had one less in midfield. We changed that at half-time, and when we were in possession, we were looking to find more space behind the fullbacks instead of in front of them. I thought Phakamani (Mahlambi) did very well in that regard in the second half.”