Expect Bafana coach Baxter to shuffle the deck again for Botswana qualifier

Expect several changes when Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter names the squad to face Botswana in an African Nations Championship (CHAN) second leg qualifier at Moruleng Stadium in Rustenburg on Saturday afternoon.

The South Africans will take a 2-0 lead to the encounter and Baxter said he would tinker with the system he used in the first leg‚ promising to give some of his younger players a run.

“We are going to stay committed to our rationale but also get some young players on the field and at the same time try to win the game‚" the Briton said.

"That’s what we are going to do and we will change the way want to play as well.

“We are going to challenge the squad by playing in a different way and see how it goes.

"It does not mean that we don’t care about the result.

"We want to win and go through to the next round because there are a few of these lads here who see an opportunity of playing in more national fixtures.”

Baxter has been forced to rely on inexperienced lineups in these CHAN qualifiers because of the unavailability of players he would have wanted.

But he added that those who have responded to the call-ups have done fairly well.

“I have to say that the players have accounted for themselves really well.

"It’s a challenge for us to assemble a team that is well-balanced.

"We made a commitment to having a combination of young and more experienced players who we think have something to offer.

"We are supporting the young ones who are knocking on the national team door.

"We did not go out and throw call-ups to 50 players.

"The Cosafa Cup went okay (earlier this month)‚ we had a younger squad which was experimental.

"If I am going to make a rating of them out of ten‚ I would give it about six.

"We weren’t delighted and at the same time we weren’t disappointed.”

Baxter said the transition from Cosafa to CHAN was not easy because there are only four players who remained in camp.

“Now the transition over to Chan is difficult because it is a completely different squad and there are about four players who are doubling up.

"Mario Booysen is one of those who are doubling up and he has been our captain.

"We went to Botswana on the back of a few training sessions and I was really pleased with the way the players applied themselves.

"They played in a well-organised way‚ knowing the game plan and executing it very well.”

- TimesLIVE