Vela Khumalo optimistic about COSAFA Cup success

Bafana will face Comoros in the second semi-final tonight (18:00) at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein. 

The hosts, who finished top of Group A, have lost striker Wandile Duba following his withdrawal earlier this week, and Khumalo says the talented group in camp are ready to step up.

"Not exactly, the team is looking good. We're having a few players, Duba is not part of us anymore – he left the camp, and the rest are here, the players that we started with," said Khumalo.

"All of them have had some game time, which was very important for our senior coach Hugo [Broos] to have a look at all the players here and maybe give him a bigger headache.

"And, to be honest with you, we have a talented squad here, a good team, positive young men, and we are looking forward to the semis and the final, and ultimately lifting the trophy."

The national ‘B’ team has struggled to find the back of the net in the tournament so far, having scored only two goals in three matches, but Khumalo feels they have worked hard enough in their last two sessions to rectify that.

"Look, I think our session was more about converting our chances – finishing, finishing, finishing, the entire session was more about trying to convert from different angles," he explained.

"Hopefully this will filter into the match. Each and every session have been geared towards finishing, and [Thursday] we spent most of the time in the final third, and even scoring from a distance, and I wish this will be related into the game."

READ: Bafana missed chances rued as they edge into COSAFA semis