With what can only be described as one of Bafana Bafana's biggest games in recent history on the horizon, South Africa's stars are hoping to win back Mzansi's fans…
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Bafana shocked the football world last week as they picked up a surprise 1-0 win over Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations Round of 16, knocking out Mo Salah and Co. to set up a monster clash with Nigeria in the quarter-finals.
Thulani Hlatshwayo, who – as captain – has been ever-present at AFCON 2019 so far, thinks that there is still more to come from this group of players, and is anticipating tomorrow night's encounter with the Super Eagles in Cairo.
He told SAFA.net, "Our next game is against our biggest rival team, Nigeria. We know playing them will be tough but we have a clear understanding of our mission, and we'll give it our all once again. This is an opportunity for us to regain trust from the fans, to truly discover our identity and have confidence in our capabilities. As captain, I'm confident in the team and what we can achieve…
"There's a lot of pressure on us to perform well, therefore it is our intention to do our best. It is no longer just about participating but about earning our place on the greatest stage in Africa."
Regardless of the tomorrow night, 'Tyson' thinks that there is a new dawn on the horizon for South African football, saying, "Whatever the outcome, this is only the beginning for us. I believe that this is a new era and opportunity to do well and participate more in global football competitions. The hope for this tournament is to bring the confidence South Africans once had in us when the team won the tournament in 1996.
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"We want to keep the nation's faith in Bafana Bafana alive, for young boys to learn from our journey and see how important it is to not give up. To pursue their dreams no matter the failures, criticism and challenges. I hope our journey inspires South African heroics."
Bafana face Nigeria at 21h00 tomorrow evening.
