Bafana Bafana are expecting the goals to flow when they kick off their Afcon 2021 qualifiers next month.
Optimism is high in the camp ahead of Sunday’s Nelson Mandela Challenge, despite a klomp injury concerns.
Three replacements have been called up to the squad already, but as long as Percy Tau looks like shrugging off his injury, no one is going to knock their rose-tinted glasses.
Tau, of course, is the talk of the town after his brilliant Champions League debut at the Santiago Bernabeu last Tuesday.
If Club Brugge’s new hero is fit to face the Eagles, Bafana will be favourite to win the match in honour of our South African icon and keep the trophy in Mzansi for a third year in a row.
Tau, though, is not the only reason for SA’s confidence.
THE MAIN MAN: Percy Tau shone against Real. Picture: Rodrigo Jimenez/EPA.
Bradley Grobler’s return to the national team comes on the back of the striker’s best form.
Thanks to avoiding injuries, the 31-year-old has scored seven goals in 10 games this season.
And after grabbing the winner in Saturday’s MTN8 final, the SuperSport United ace’s confidence will be sky high.
Closer to home, Cape Town City’s struggles could have been worse if Kermit Erasmus wasn’t scoring goals. With five goals, he and Grobler are joint second on the scoring charts.
Lebo Mothiba is also in the squad, so with three strikers to pick from, it’s up to coach Mofeli Ntseki to get the best from his attack.
You could forgive the boss to throw them all on as he finally gets to boss his first games in charge. But he knows better than that and will know that taking domestic form on the international stage can be frustrating.
Let’s start with the spearhead.
Mothiba has been charged to lead the line in recent times after a promising start to his international career. However, after seeing him at Afcon, the France-based forward slowed the game with his uncertain touch and dead-end runs.
With Grobler and Erasmus playing as mobile focal points of their club attacks, hopefully Ntseki chooses his first-choice striker from these two.
With Bafana playing with an attacking four - a main striker supported by three - and two central midfielders as a front six, there is enough talent to recycle possession and to slice through their opponents.
Attacking midfielders include Thembinkosi Lorch, Thulani Serero and Themba Zwane and Keagan Dolly.
And in midfield Kamohelo Mokotjo, Mothiba Mvala and Dean Furman can destroy and create.
Lorch will be happy to be away from the dramas at Orlando Pirates. The Buccaneers haven’t been at the best since coach Micho jumped ship at the start of the season.
And for Player of the Season Lorch, an international could be just the game to get out his frustrations.
I only hope that he channels that into his best version of himself.
Lorch is at his best when he is cutting in from the left.
OFF THE BOIL: SA’s Lebo Mothiba looks unsure. Picture: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix.
And with the movement of Grobler or Erasmus up front, he may just have the space to do that.
Ntseki has to get his attack clicking by telling them to make room for one another and make themselves available where they can hurt.
Only then will the individuals shine and score the goals.
It’s super exciting times with the attacking talent we have in SA at the moment with hitmen back in fashion in the PSL.
Lorch’s Bucs teammate Tshegofatso Mabasa has caught the eye after stepping up since his move Bloem Celtic at the start of the season.
His intimidating physique and pace make him tough to deal with, but his willingness to take on opponents and his touch in front of goal make him lethal.
After legendary Bafana striker Benni McCarthy this week said that Mabasa reminded him of himself, I guess it’s just a matter of time before Ntseki calls up the 23 year old and put the pressure on Mothiba’s place.
Saturday’s clash against Mali will be a great indicator of what the new boss is thinking ahead of the Ghana and Sudan games next month.
As a long-time assistant coach in the Bafana set-up, Ntseki will obviously look to build on the best ideas of his predecessors like Stuart Baxter and Shakes Mashaba.
THAT WINNING FEELING: Form Bafana striker Bradley Grobler. Picture: BackpagePix.
Under Baxter, the team was quite solid in defence, but the transition from winning back possession to attack was slow - and vice versa - at times.
That sort of continuity comes with its problems for the coach.
With the perception that a foundation is in place could mean the success will be expected a bit sooner.
And for a coach like Ntseki, who has been doing his work away from the spotlight for most of his career, that could backfire on him if he tries to change too much.