SENONG DARES CHIPOLOPOLO

Fri, 18 Aug 2017 10:36:54 +0000

…SOUTH AFRICAN COACH BELIEVES ZAMBIA IS BEATABLE

By Michael Miyoba

SOUTH Africa assistant coach Thabo Senong says it is not going to be easy for Zambia to beat Bafana Bafana in the second leg of CHAN Qualifier to be played at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola this Saturday.

Senong said South Africa had qualified players capable of beating Wedson Nyirenda’s boys.

“First it is good to be in Zambia and we are looking forward to a good match on Saturday.”

“I’m the caretaker coach but I will try as much as I can to continue with the hard work that the head coach Stuart Baxter had laid. We are aware that the game is going to be tough,

“It’s not going to be easy for us but it won’t be easy for Zambia either. We have brought quality and talented player who have been able to jell together in the shortest period and will be able to compete on Saturday,” Senong said.

South Africa suffered a major setback following the departure of seven players after the first leg of the third and final round of the 2018 Chan qualifier against Zambia on Saturday.

National First Division (NFD) side, Jomo Cosmos also recalled two of their players, defenders Thato Lingwati and Mpho Rasilingwane, while Richards Bay also withdrew Sandile Mthethwa from the team.

Senong however said Bafana Bafana will still be able to compete without key players, noting that the team was used to facing such challenges of player withdrawal from PSL Clubs.

“We have been experiencing such challenges for the past five years and we are used to it. Zambia did well though to score two away from home and that is a little disturbance for us but we haven’t given up yet. We still believe our team will be able to score goals,

“And we have brought in a few under-20 players who were here during the under-20 AfCON and we don’t feel like we playing away. It’s going to be a good game for us.

We are using this exercise as an opportunity to give young players chance to get international experienced and we are focusing on winning to be able to qualify for the CHAN tournament in Kenya,” Senong said.

Senong will be assisted former Bafana Bafana legend Quinton Fortune who is currently in talks with SAFA regarding joining the technical bench led by head coach Stuart Baxter.

Baxter remained in South Africa to focus on upcoming back-to-back South African World Cup qualifiers against Cape Verde.