Broos thinks super confident Tau can be Bafana’s Ferrari against Morocco

With Percy Tau expected to arrive with sky-high confidence and in peak fitness and form, Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos expects the forward to give Morocco as torrid a time on Saturday as he did Wydad Casablanca in the Caf Champions League final. 

The Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against the Atlas Lions at FNB Stadium (5pm) is a dead rubber as both teams have reached the tournament from Group K. 

But Bafana are seeking a morale-boosting result and performance against Walid Regragui’s crack outfit, who made history becoming the first African World Cup semi-finalists in Qatar in December, with an eye to building confidence for the Nations Cup finals in January and February. 

Tau will arrive on Tuesday evening, delayed by his participation in the Champions League final.

He scored the crucial headed opener and was a thorn in the Wydad defence in last weekend’s 2-1 first leg win to Ahly in Cairo. In Sunday’s second leg Tau put in the hard yards until being substituted in the 86th minute as Ahly gritted out a 1-1 draw in front of Wydad’s ferocious Stade Mohamed V support in Casablanca.

After months of turmoil at Ahly, where he battled injuries and form, and to win over the club’s expectant fan base, the forward has found his stride, including five goals and as many assists in the Champions League. 

Broos at one stage advocated for Tau to leave Ahly, as the forward would often arrive in Bafana camps out of his best condition. Now he hopes for a Ferrari in his arsenal against Morocco. 

“What I know about Percy is that when he comes to the national team he wants to perform. But he wasn’t ready to perform a year ago,” Broos said, also downplaying the missed chances by Tau in a shock Nations Cup qualifying draw against Liberia at Orlando Stadium in March. 

“He wasn’t playing at Al Ahly. He would play and then after four or five weeks he was injured, and then every time he came to the national he was coming out of injuries. 

“And I said I hoped he could leave Al Ahly and go to a team where he was playing, because a good Percy Tau is very important to us. 

“So now when I see him in the past few months, he’s a regular, he’s always playing, and when he plays he’s always good. 

“Certainly in the games I have seen — in the Champions League games and last night [Sunday] again — you see he’s fresh, he’s in good shape.

“I know Ahly won last night and they will celebrate — it’s totally normal he does too. But when he arrives here tomorrow evening he will be ready. 

“I know he will perform with Bafana Bafana. And he also knows what we saw before from Percy was not at his level.

“So I’m happy now about what’s happened to him at Al Ahly, and I’m looking forward [to his display].” 

Tau is one of four late arrivals among South Africa’s foreign-based brigade. 

Swedish-based Luke le Roux had a flight delayed and was expected to arrive on Monday night. 

Bongokuhle Hlongwane (Minnesota United) and Njabulo Blom (St Louis City) will arrive from their US Major League Soccer teams on Tuesday morning and night respectively. 

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.