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Bafana Bafana coach Morena Ramoreboli has welcomed the new format of the COSAFA Cup, which has done away with handing more established nations a free passage to the knockout stages.
Bafana are pitted alongside neighbours Botswana, Eswatini, and Namibia in Group A, from which they will need to progress to reach the semi-final and then final of the regional showpiece in Durban.
Ramoreboli believes this is advantageous especially for the players' fitness and preparations for the upcoming 2023/24 season, while their teammates and counterparts are engaged in pre-season with their respective clubs.
"Ja, I think maybe when you look at it in another way, it's even good for all the teams because, like I say, while other teams are in pre-season, they have allowed us to have their players so it means we must keep them active and while doing that you are preparing them for the season," Ramoreboli told SABC Sport.
"So, for you to get to the final, you must play four matches – three games in the group stage, one semi-final and then the final, so it's good.
"At the same time, for me, I think it has also shortened the program, which is very good for us because [the players] really need to go back to their clubs, but as they are representing their country, they must give their all and make sure that we get the positive results."
Bafana will open their campaign against Namibia at the King Zwelithini Stadium at 18:00 this evening, with a live broadcast available on SABC Sport, available on DTT Channel 4, SABC + and sabcsport.com.
