'I believe in this team,' says Broos before Bafana Bafana's 2023 Afcon qualifier against Liberia

Two good results against Liberia will take Bafana Bafana to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Ivory Coast no matter the result Liberia get in their last qualifying match away to 2022 Fifa World Cup finalists Morocco in September. 

Liberia lost 2-0 to Morocco in their opening home qualifier which they opted to play in Casablanca, Morocco, in June last year and will start Friday's match against Bafana at the bottom of Group K.

Bafana are second on goal difference in the group because they lost 2-1 in Rabat against the Moroccans last year.

A win at the Orlando Stadium will take Hugo Broos' side to three points, with a draw in Monrovia enough to take them to Ivory Coast early next year even if Liberia beat Morocco by an avalanche of goals in their last match.

That will happen because even if Bafana and Liberia finish level on four points the first things Caf rules will point at is results between the two sides, the reason Broos has emphasised the importance of Bafana winning 2-0 at least in Orlando on Friday.   

Broos is still angry that Caf allowed Morocco to host Liberia in their first match as he feels that gave an advantage to Morocco, a team Bafana will still play at home in June in their final qualifier. 

“That from the beginning we had only three teams [after Fifa kicked out Zimbabwe] is rubbish,” Broos said of the Bafana group.

“This is not the normal qualification and you saw what happened. Morocco is already qualified after two games and Caf allowed them to play their away game in Morocco. This is only possible here in Africa. This is unbelievable.

“OK, if Liberia doesn't have a stadium conforming with Fifa rules you should play in another country but not in Morocco who are with you in the group. Here Caf said it's OK, no problem. So, they [Morocco] have already qualified after two games. This not normal. 

“I knew from the beginning maybe those two games against Liberia should be decisive to be qualified or not. We have the opportunity to do it in two games. Why shouldn't we do it? I know it's easy to tell that than to do it, but I believe in this team.

“I've seen the qualities [in Bafana] I didn't see a year ago. We're a better team now, but OK, we have to play the game. If we have a level we can reach we have to qualify. I'm sure of it.

“But it depends on us and it depends on our performance and certainly next week in Monrovia. It will be an artificial pitch at a packed stadium.”

Broos has plenty of options in who he should start with in Friday's match, but skipper and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams should retain his position between the poles. The back four should include four of Williams' Mamelodi Sundowns teammates in Thapelo Morena, Grant Kekana, Mothobi Mvala and Aubrey Modiba. 

But knowing Broos and the unreserved “love” he has shown to Sekhukhune United's Nyiko Mobbie as a right-back, Morena might still find himself on the bench. 

In the heart of the midfield, Broos should go for Teboho Mokoena and Sphephelo Sithole with Percy Tau and Bongokuhle Hlongwane operating on the wings.

English-based striker Lyle Foster, who scored a screamer against Morocco, will have  plenty of final passes from the mercurial Themba Zwane as his partner up front.  

Kickoff is 6pm at Orlando Stadium.

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