Bafana Bafana begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Guinea with a new chapter under returning head coach Pitso Mosimane.
South Africa face Guinea at the Orlando Amstel Arena at 15:00, with expectations high for the home side. However, Guinea are unlikely to make things easy and could look to frustrate Bafana by defending compactly and attacking on the counter.
For South Africa, breaking down a disciplined Guinea defence could be the biggest challenge.
Here are three areas that could make the difference.
1. Make set-pieces count
If Guinea defend deep and commit numbers behind the ball, Bafana may have to find alternative ways to create clear chances.
Set-pieces could therefore become an important weapon.
Corners and free-kicks give South Africa opportunities to put the Guinea defence under pressure without needing to break through a settled defensive structure.
Bafana have players capable of delivering dangerous balls into the box, while their physical presence in attacking areas could create problems from dead-ball situations.
The key: make every corner and dangerous free-kick count.
2. Give Relebohile Mofokeng freedom to create
Relebohile Mofokeng could provide the creativity needed to unlock Guinea.
The young attacker has continued to develop during his time with Royal Union SG in Belgium, and his ability to operate between the lines could be particularly valuable against a compact opponent.
Mofokeng’s vision, passing and movement can give Bafana another way of breaking down a defence that refuses to leave much space behind.
His ability to contribute in front of goal also means Guinea cannot simply focus on stopping his passing.
If South Africa can get Mofokeng regularly involved around the edge of the final third, he could become an important outlet for unlocking the visitors.
3. Take control of midfield
South Africa will also need to establish control in the middle of the park.
Possession alone will not be enough. Bafana will need to move the ball quickly, change the point of attack and force Guinea’s defensive block to shift.
Winning the midfield battle could allow South Africa’s wingers and forwards to receive the ball in more dangerous positions.
The longer Guinea are forced to defend, the greater the possibility of gaps appearing.
At the same time, Bafana will need to remain disciplined when possession is lost, particularly against a Guinea side that could look to counter.
Keeping the danger man quiet
South Africa will also have to pay close attention to Serhou Guirassy, whose presence gives Guinea a significant attacking outlet.
Limiting his influence could help Bafana maintain control and prevent the visitors from turning defensive moments into dangerous counter-attacks.
Can Bafana turn pressure into goals?
Bafana have several tools available to them, but the decisive factor could be how efficiently they use them.
Set-pieces, Mofokeng’s creativity and midfield control could all play a role in breaking down Guinea.
With home advantage and a new qualifying campaign getting underway, South Africa will want to turn territorial dominance into clear chances — and, ultimately, goals.
Can Bafana Bafana open their AFCON qualifying campaign with a win?
