Bafana set sights on Burkina Faso and Uzbekistan for tougher opponents

28 September 2022 - 15:07 By SITHEMBISO DINDI
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Tumisang Orebonye of Botswana and Rushine de Reuck of SA during the international friendly match at FNB Stadium on September 27.
Tumisang Orebonye of Botswana and Rushine de Reuck of SA during the international friendly match at FNB Stadium on September 27.
Image: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images

Bafana Bafana have set their sights on playing Burkina Faso and Uzbekistan in the next Fifa international break in November, coach Hugo Broos says.

Broos and his technical team are preparing for the back-to-back 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers against Liberia in March. If SA win both they will reach the tournament in Ivory Coast.

Bafana completed the first phase of the preparations with their wins at FNB Stadium against Sierra Leone (4-0 ) on Saturday and Botswana (1-0) on Tuesday evening, performances and results that left Broos with mixed emotions.

The Belgian tactician was impressed by how his side demolished the Leone Stars, but baffled by a flat horror show defeating Botswana.

The coach has shared more on their plans for the next Fifa international break, which will take place during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

“The idea is that we will be together for seven days from November 14 to 20 and will play two friendly games.

“It can be that we will play against Burkina Faso and we play in Dubai against Uzbekistan. But at the moment this has not been finalised.

“The negotiations are still ongoing, but I hope we will have those two games.”

If Broos gets his way, Burkina Faso and Uzbekistan will be tougher opponents compared to 113th-ranked Sierra Leone and 146th-ranked Botswana.

The Stallions are ranked 55th, which is higher than SA in 68th place, while Uzbekistan are ranked 77th, and 10th in the Asian Football Confederation.

Burkina Faso have almost all their regular national team players playing in leagues in Europe, including their star player and captain Bertrand Traoré, who is at Turkish side İstanbul Başakşehir on loan from Aston Villa.

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