Former Kaizer Chiefs coach Molefi Ntseki is delighted with his Bafana Bafana players who applied the training drills on Sunday night to eliminate Egypt from the Chan qualifiers.
The teams played to a one-all draw in the first leg staged at the Free State Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein on Sunday 2. It wasn't going to be an easy outing at the Suez Canal Stadium, but South Africa defied the odds to claim a 3-1 win and advance on a 4-2 aggregate win and set a date with Malawi in the next phase.
Ntseki has explained how his players stuck to the game plan which granted them a convincing wil away.
‘The technical plan was executed' – Ntseki
“I think we won the game from our training sessions because of the plan we had worked out. The players managed to implement it and they showed a high level of technical endurance,” the tactician said afterward.
“That is the ability to execute the technical plan for the longest time in the game and I think they did that. What also really worked for us today was to score early to unsettle Egypt in their home ground.
“Also, the discipline that we had without the ball, I think, was the one that we can look back at. Also, the players who were on the bench, players who were in the grandstand, they gave us the support we needed.”
The mood in the team boosted the squad
Ntseki further lauded the players for their output despite struggles to get regular game time in their respective clubs.
“Well done to the team and the opportunity given to us to lead the team. The attitude of the players coming into this camp preparing for Egypt in the first leg was on a high level. We appreciate them coming into this game even though some of them are not playing regularly with their teams, but what was important was the mood in the team.
“Everyone was looking forward to the training sessions, to the game. We are looking forward to the next phase of the qualifiers and we are saying to the players, ‘keep on working hard, always show the best attitude when it comes to your careers,'” Ntseki concluded.
The first leg against Malawi will be away on May 2 with the second one at home seven days later.
