Pressure mounts in CHAN Group C as Molefi Ntseki sees no room for error

Coach Molefi Ntseki’s team are currently third in Group C, behind Uganda and Algeria. 

Tonight, at the Nelson Mandela National Stadium, they will be up against 37,000 Ugandan Cranes supporters, as they attempt to reach the knockout phase of this competition for the first time in 14 years. 

Ntseki acknowledges that there’s no place to hide for any team.

"It's a very important match for every team in Group C because we are fully aware that whoever plays well between us and Uganda will go through. The winner between Algeria and Niger, also Algeria is playing that game to win, so that they can give themselves a chance to go to the next phase of the tournament which will be the quarterfinals,” Ntseki said.

“So, yes, you could not ask for anything special in this group in the games that are playing today because it's more of a cup final and yes it is the final game of Group C, so it's very interesting for all the teams that will be playing tomorrow. 

“As South Africa we are fully aware that for us to go to the next stage of the tournament, it's a must win game tomorrow."

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Since losing their opening game 3-0 to Algeria, Uganda have been on a high in this tournament, scoring five goals in the last two matches. 

Ntseki says they know what is at stake in this encounter and is also banking on the experience of his technical team to prepare the team well for this demanding assignment.

"What is important is that we have a team of professionals, we have players that have played in the professional levels for more than five, 10, 15 seasons. So, they know how to conduct themselves during important matches like this,” the coach added.

“Some of them have played in the national team, some of them have played in AFCON before, so when it comes to our team and then in our technical team, we have our assistant coach who played in the 2010 World Cup. 

“We have our analysts who played in the Premier League, we have our conditioning coach who has been in Africa as a conditioning coach for coach Pitso Mosimane, who has been with Al Ahly in the Champions League finals. Who has been in Saudi Arabia, so with me also I've been with SAFA for the past 10 years. 

“I've been to the AFCONs, I've been to the World Cup, so what is important is for us to focus on what we are able to do, what we have prepared the team to do coming into this game."