Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos surprised many people with his game plan against Namibia. Former South Africa coach Morena Ramoreboli has revealed how the Belgian made the Brave Warriors inefficient.
After a 2-0 loss to Mali, Broos changed the approach against Namibia, attacking with wing play, as Thapelo Morena was recalled in the line-up in place of his club teammate Thapelo Maseko and Grant Kekana took the place of Siyanda Xulu.
Collin Benjamin's charges came to the game high on confidence after winning their first ever game at the Africa Cup of Nations after beating Tunisia 1-0 in their group opener.
One of the major threats posed by the Brave Warriors was their wing play and pace and they threatened behind Bafana's defence in the early exchanges, with Peter Shalulile missing a goal at his mercy, before Namibia conceded a penalty and eventually they lost 4-0.
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Ramoreboli believes Namibia went for a wrong approach trying to attack Bafana high and that Broos got his tactics spot in neutralizing the wing-backs of the Brave Warriors.
"The mistake that Namibia did was to play an open game with a highly technical team of South Africa. I thought Namibia would sit deep because for them getting a draw against South Africa was the result they needed," Ramoreboli said on Metro FM Sports.
"So for me trying to press high, they created gaps between the lines and it was difficult for them to contain South Africa.
"The good thing about South Africa is that they knew when to play those forward passes and secondly, I think the presence of (Evidence) Makgopa played an important role and how the coach planned with Morena and Percy (Tau) on the sides, that was spot on because he said if you don't allow them to overload with their right and left full-backs, it simply means the wingers and strikers can't do anything," he added.
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Bafana leapfrogged Namibia in Group E in second spot on the table, with a superior goal difference, as the sides are equal on three points.
The final matches will be played simultaneously on Wednesday evening, as South Africa will be up against the Carthage Eagles and the Brave Warriors will face Mali.