South Africa ready to test Mexico in World Cup opener, Broos says
Read a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST
Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
MEXICO CITY, June 10 : South Africa coach Hugo Broos said his side are prepared to face Mexico’s quality and home-crowd advantage in Thursday’s World Cup opener, insisting they are ready to fight for every ball against the group’s “strongest team”.
“They play good football,” Broos told reporters on Wednesday. “They have very good players, players who can decide a match. And playing in front of 85,000 people gives them a boost.”
Broos said South Africa had done detailed work on Mexico and would not be overawed by the occasion, adding his players had also adapted to the city’s altitude after arriving early.
“Because of the altitude, we had to be here a little bit sooner,” he said. “We had 10 days, and I think 10 days is sufficient. From that side, I think we are ready.”
Guess Word
Crack the word, one row at a time
Buzzword
Create words using the given letters
Mini Sudoku
Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser
Mini Crossword
Small grid, big challenge
Word Search
Spot as many words as you can
South Africa are in Group A with Mexico, the Czech Republic and South Korea, and Broos said the opening match could be decisive for their hopes of reaching the next round.
“In a group like this, it is very important to win your first game,” he said. “If you don’t win, you are already in a difficult position.”
For South Africa, the fixture carries its own echoes. They opened the 2010 World Cup against Mexico in Johannesburg, drawing 1-1 after Siphiwe Tshabalala scored one of the tournament’s most memorable goals.
Broos also played for Belgium at the 1986 World Cup, where they faced Mexico in the group stage and went on to finish fourth.
The hosts face South Africa on Thursday still seeking their first victory in a World Cup opening match after seven previous attempts.
Midfielder Teboho Mokoena said South Africa wanted to embrace the occasion while giving themselves the best chance of reaching the knockout stage.
“We want to be competitive and see ourselves go to the next round,” Mokoena said. “We must be here to enjoy the experience. When you go home, you must not go home with regrets.”
Source: Reuters
Sign up for our newsletters
Get the CNA app
Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
Get WhatsApp alerts
Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST
Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
About The Author
