Mkhalele confident Bafana will improve against Botswana

Despite being satisfied with the new-look Bafana Bafana’s performance in their 1-1 draw with Mozambique in the Cosafa Cup Group A opener at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Wednesday, coach Helman Mkhalele has assured that they will improve.

Bafana will face Botswana in their next match at Wolfson Stadium tomorrow (3pm), with the group still in the balance. Botswana and Eswatini also played to a goalless draw in their first match on Wednesday.

The hosts would have topped the group but squandered that chance as they failed to protect their lead after Rushwin Dortley scored in the first half. Mozambique equalised through Chamito Alfandega in the second half.

“The players are coming from off-season and they had three days to train,” Mkhalele told the media during the post-match press conference. “What I will work on in the next two games is more of our defensive organisation. I’m quite happy that the boys understand how I want them to play.

“Going into the next game, we need to stay compact and we must not allow the opponents to find spaces and we will try to make sure we improve in those aspects.”

Mkhalele also hinted that he would give every player a fair chance in the tournament while also keeping the core of the team that played against the Mambas.

“Once we study the opponents that will inform us what type of players we need to bring in. At the same time, we want to make sure that we keep the same momentum,” he said.

“I’m not saying we are going to change or not. As we go into the next game, we will try to first and foremost look at how we can sustain the momentum that we have.

“Probably 70% of the players who started against Mozambique might play again because of the match conditioning that they have gained.

“Then gradually, we will bring in those who have not had game time. For us to change the whole team at once, trying to give everybody an opportunity to get international experience, can be suicidal because we want to go further in the tournament.”