Five things Bafana coach Baxter got horribly wrong against Cape Verde

06 September 2017 - 13:53 By Sazi Hadebe
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Stuart Baxter coach of South Africa during the World Cup Qualifier match between South Africa and Cape Verde on the 05 September 2017 at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Stuart Baxter coach of South Africa during the World Cup Qualifier match between South Africa and Cape Verde on the 05 September 2017 at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Image: Sydney Mahlangu /BackpagePix

Gutted! Depressed! These are just some of the emotions that crestfallen South Africans are struggling to deal with after Bafana Bafana rolled over and played dead at Cape Verde's feet in two 2018 World Cup qualifiers they were expected to win.

After beating Bafana 2-1 in Praia last week‚ Cape Verde proved that the result was not a fluke when they wiped the floor with beleaguered coach Stuart Baxter's charges at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Tuesday night.

So appalling were Bafana in the two games that their impressive away 2-0 win over Nigeria in a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier three months ago - the first time the South Africans managed to get the better of the Super Eagles in a competitive match - is starting to feel like a dream we all convinced ourselves was real.

As we continue to survey what remains of the wreckage‚ here are five things Baxter got horribly wrong at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Tuesday night:

1. Player selection in both matches

Baxter has been accused of favouritism after his over-reliance on his former players at SuperSport United.

And to be ruthlessly honest‚ this points at Baxter not doing enough research on other players available either locally or abroad.

Overseas-based players like Thulani Serero were never used in both matches. Others like Andile Jali‚ Bongani Zungu and Kamohelo Mokotjo got less than 45 minutes on the pitch in both matches.

2. Players minds elsewhere

Players like Lebohang Manyama and Bongani Zungu came into the camp with their minds elsewhere as they were about to clinch deals with new clubs in Europe.

It was Baxter's duty to pick players in the right frame of mind and with no distractions going into these two key qualifiers.

3. He appeared not to know his best starting 11

The fact that Baxter changed Ronwen Williams and installed Wayne Sandilands in goals in the second match speaks volumes about his preferred No2 gloveman in the Bafana goals.

In the absence of the injured Bafana No1 Itumeleng Khune‚ one could also argue that the in-form Shu-Aib Walters could have been called and perhaps given a start in the two games.

There are many other positions that also looked odd‚ with many questioning Baxter’s insistence on starting with Dean Furman in both matches when he had plenty of more industrious and creative midfielders at his disposal.

4. Baxter Should have intervened when Safa’s decided on Tuesday's venue

It may not have been Baxter’s decision to select Tuesday night's venue but given the importance of this match‚ surely the Briton should have insisted that Safa take this one inland to either Polokwane or Mbombela.

Playing Cape Verde in the lovely altitude of Durban was always going to suit the Islanders and it showed through the match as the visitors looked comfortable.

They were even able to shrug off their strenuous travelling arrangements coming to this match.

5. Huge element of undermining the opposition and not researching enough

It was evident in Praia that Baxter did not seriously consider the effects of the artificial pitch and how he would need to counter it.

Even though Baxter had plenty of material to read and research about Cape Verde‚ especially the background given by former Uganda and new Orlando Pirates coach Milutin Sredojevic‚ it doesn’t look like he took any of it seriously.

“They play with one defensive midfielder and two playmakers‚" Sredojevic‚ whose Ugandan team beat Cape Verde 1-0 in June‚ offered when asked about the team that humiliated Bafana.

"It’s a classic Portuguese style‚ with two wingers and one top striker. I can call it a 4-1-4-1 or a 4-3-3. The way to beat them is with quick counters.”

- TimesLIVE

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