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Pitso backs Benni as Bafana prepare for Kenya showdown

Pitso Mosimane is wary of the threat posed by Kenya
Pitso Mosimane is wary of the threat posed by KenyaMOSTAFA EL SHAHAT / MIDDLE EAST IMAGES / MIDDLE EAST IMAGES VIA AFP

Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane says they will be treating Kenya with the utmost respect when the teams clash in a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at Orlando Stadium on Friday.

Mosimane says his side should be wary of the East Africans, who have already qualified for the continental finals as co-hosts and have nothing to lose.

They will want to make a big statement for coach Benni McCarthy, who is Bafana’s greatest ever goal-scorer and now in charge of the Harambee Stars.

McCarthy is seen to be walking a tightrope with Kenya after indifferent results of late, but Mosimane says that could make them more dangerous.

“When a player or a coach's future depends on a game, you have to be very careful,” Mosimane told reporters. “Sometimes the players rally around their coach, and you can get the biggest surprise you could ever imagine.

“You have to be very careful when playing against an emotional team, especially one that has nothing to lose. Kenya are already qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations finals, so we have to be mindful of that. We are taking absolutely nothing for granted.

“You know Benni's personality and character. He has that will to win, that fighting spirit. He fights for his name and his reputation, and you have to respect that.”

Mosimane has praised McCarthy’s coaching acumen and experience having been in the technical team with Bafana towards the end of the striker’s time with the side.

“Benni is a good coach. He was coaching at Manchester United, which is a dream for any coach in South Africa. He was coaching Cristiano Ronaldo, so you have to respect the level at which he has coached,” Mosimane said.

“You also have to respect the level at which he played. He has a Champions League winner's medal. That tells you the kind of person we are talking about, someone with a fighting personality who wants to win at all costs. We have to respect that.”

Mosimane says Kenya have players plying their trade in top European countries and are not to be underestimated.

“They have players who play in England, Spain, Wales, Sweden and France. You have to be very careful about underestimating teams like that.

“We should also learn from Cabo Verde qualifying for the World Cup. You have to respect every opponent. Everything is decided on the pitch, and until the referee blows the final whistle, you cannot say you have won the game.

“I have lost many games in my career against teams that were at the bottom of the league, the so-called minnows that nobody saw coming.

“That is why you have to respect every opponent. It doesn't matter what people say about a team or what their situation is. You have to go onto the pitch and do your job.”

 

Nick Said has been covering African sport for almost three decades, specialising in football, rugby and cricket. He is based in Cape Town, South Africa and you can follow him on X and LinkedIn.

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