Da Gama won’t change approach
SA Under-23 national team coach, Owen da Gama, is unlikely to change his team’s approach for the semi-finals of the Caf Youth Africa Cup of Nations.
|||Owen da Gama, the SA Under-23 national team coach, is unlikely to change Friday night’s winning approach against Tunisia when his side face another North African team in the semi-finals of the CAF Youth Africa Cup of Nations.
Baby Bafana reached the last four of the tournament, which serves as qualification for the Olympic Games in Rio next year for the continent’s top three junior national teams,when they narrowly beat Tunisia 1-0 in Mbour, Senegal.
Menzi Masuku bagged the winning goal in the 85th minute after South Africa survived an onslaught, with the opposition - who needed a win while a draw for Da Gama’s men would have been enough - pressing for much of the encounter.
The coach said he expects a game quite similar on Wednesday night in Dakar.
“It is going to be a tough one and there is no doubt about it. These are the best four nations on the continent at this stage. We were expecting any one between Algeria, Nigeria and Egypt but we got Algeria as they topped their group,” Da Gama explained.
“It is probably a blessing in disguise that we are playing them because Nigeria is also a quality team as well as Egypt, who have unfortunately been knocked out.”
Algeria also booked their spot in the semi-finals on Friday following a goalless draw against eventual Group B runners-up, Nigeria. It was a tricky group, with Algeria and Nigeria progressing after both sides amassed five points. Mali and Egypt were eliminated, with the reports suggesting the latter were to sack their coach soon after.
“We have to deal with another North African tactical approach, very technical, solid in defence and very organised with very quick fullbacks and wingers. We will once more have almost the same type of approach. We will get good feedback from our technical team that went to watch the Algeria v Nigeria clash, sit down, analyse them and find an approach to deal with them,” Da Gama said.
“Once again, it is always going to be 70 percent of what we do and the other 30 percent of what they are about - otherwise you lose focus on your strengths if you focus too much on the opposition. It could be more or less the same approach because they are not that different from Tunisia. The most important thing is to plan well and stick to that plan.”
Having seen his side lift up their display after a disappointing 3-1 defeat to hosts Senegal in their opening match just over a week ago, Da Gama said he believed his team was growing in confidence to deliver. SA beat Zambia 3-2 in the second match and followed that up with the win against Tunisia to finish as group runners-up behind Senegal.
“We have to be very optimistic,” he said. “We have to be very positive and tell ourselves that we have a very good chance in this game and most likely the opposition will be saying the same. The mood in the camp is very positive and we know what we are capable of on the day and I still believe if we get it right on the day we will come out victorious.”
Should a victory against Algeria not materialise, Baby Bafana have another opportunity to qualify for the Olympics if they win third-place play-off. But that is not the target. - The Star