Innocent Maela has spoken of the pressure in Bafana Bafana's camp ahead of their match against Libya at the weekend.
Maela played the full match as Bafana beat Libya 2-1 in Tunisia on Sunday evening and qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations to be played in Egypt later this year.
Read: Warning Shot As Mulenga Bags Brace, Downs Match Up Next...
"I am so happy right now. We had a lot of pressure going into this game because of the hopes of the millions of people on our shoulders. This is a football-loving country and for far too long they had little to be proud of about the national team but with this qualification, I think it could be the start of a renewed hope and belief in Bafana Bafana," Maela told Pirates' official website.
Read: Pitso's Choice Refuted, 'I Wouldn't Give It To Kekana'
"Obviously this is only the beginning, the real test will be in Egypt later this year but for now we can be proud of returning to the competition after failing to qualify in 2017. On a personal level, I am happy to have played the entire match. I look forward to building on this performance and play more crucial games for my country," added the 26-year-old.
Maela will be looking to help Milutin Sredojevic and Bucs to get the three points to increase their chances of winning the league this season, when they come up against Mamelodi Sundowns in their next Absa Premiership match on April 01.
Watch: SLTV: Tembo: We Don't Want Chiefs To Go Above Us
