Bafana brace for familiar test against Zimbabwe in decider

BAFANA Bafana are ready to navigate familiar territory with a slightly tweaked squad in their bid to reach the AFCON knockout stage at the expense of neighbours Zimbabwe at Stade de Marrakesh tonight (6pm kickoff).

- MIHLALI BALEKA

Bafana face the Warriors in their final Group B clash, a match in which they must secure a result at all costs to guarantee qualification for the last 16 of the continental showpiece currently under way in Morocco.

The South Africans find themselves in this pressured situation after losing their second group-stage match to Egypt on Friday at Stade Adrar, a result that saw them drop to second on the log with three points, three behind log leaders the Pharaohs.

While the situation is not ideal for Bafana, who would have liked to have one foot in the next round by now, it is not unfamiliar territory.

In the last edition in Ivory Coast, they headed into their final group-stage match against Tunisia needing a result a feat they achieved en route to the knockout stage, eventually finishing third in the tournament.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference at the venue yesterday, coach Hugo Broos was well aware of what is required to reach the promised land.