Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams has declared the team is fully prepared and confident about claiming all three points in their crucial World Cup qualifier against Zimbabwe on Friday night, despite external pressure and the tag of being heavy favorites.
South Africa is facing immense pressure in the final two matches of the qualifiers, a situation exacerbated after they were docked three points by FIFA.
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This deduction stemmed from an administrative error in March where midfielder Teboho Mokoena was fielded in a win over Lesotho despite being suspended for accumulating two yellow cards.
The Stakes are High
The points deduction significantly altered the landscape of Group C. South Africa, who were initially leading, now sit in second place with 14 points. They are tied on points with Benin, who currently top the standings based on goal difference.
To secure their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Bafana Bafana now effectively need six points from their final two remaining qualifiers: the clash against Zimbabwe, and a final match against Rwanda on Tuesday.
In contrast, their opponents, Zimbabwe, are currently at the bottom of the group with just four points from nine matches, reinforcing Bafana’s position as the expected winners.
Dismissing the “Favorites” Tag
Speaking ahead of the pivotal match at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, Williams made it clear that the team is ignoring the pressure of being labeled “favorites.” He emphasized that the focus is strictly on performance and securing the required result.
“At the end of the day [the favourites tag] doesn’t matter, the important thing is to show up and get the job done,” Williams stated.
The captain highlighted the strong team culture as the true source of their confidence, pointing to the mentality, brotherhood, and team spirit that has seen Bafana Bafana go unbeaten in their last 22 games.
“We just do what we can do, we control what we can control,” Williams affirmed. “That’s the mentality… most importantly over the 90 minutes, to show up, get the job done, play as hard as we can and not too much emphasis on the tags.”
Unity as the Foundation for Success
Williams believes that this strong internal unity is the key to handling high-stakes matches. He noted the team has grown significantly through “good and bad times,” learning what is required to succeed at the top level.
“Anyone who joins this group; the first thing they feel is that team spirit, the welcome they get, once that’s there, you stay calm and you can enjoy and play your football freely,” he concluded. “We need to work hard, stay focused and get the job done.”
Bafana Bafana will take on Zimbabwe this Friday at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, with kick-off scheduled for 18:00 SAST, marking the first of their two must-win fixtures.