A defensive approach rendered SA Under-23 team impotent as they suffered a 0-1 defeat to hosts Japan in their opening Group A fixture of the Olympics at Tokyo Stadium yesterday. SihleNdebeleSK
Twenty-year-old sensation Takefusa Kubo, who’s in the books of Spanish La Liga giants Real Madrid, netted the match’s solitary goal in the 71st minute. The young Bafana Bafana’s XI showed they were targeting a draw, playing with three central defenders and three defensive midfielders.
This approach divested SA that creativity and left two attackers – Luther Singh and Evidence Makgopa – frustrated as they hardly received supply to threaten the hosts’ rearguard. The only overage player in the squad, Ronwen Williams, produced a couple of brilliant saves to keep SA in the game before eventually leaking one goal that sunk them.
Having only joined the team late, alongside Kaizer Chiefs teammate Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, following their participation in the CAF Champions League final, perhaps fatigue was the reason Frosler wasn’t at his element. Ngcobo was only introduced in stoppage time, replacing Mosele. Given these circumstances, it’d be harsh to slate the performance Young Bafana put against Japan, though there’s a general feel that they should have tried to attack from the word go. Young Bafana’s next game is against France, who were thumped 4-1 by Mexico in another Group A match earlier yesterday.
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