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Morena: We Wanted To Put On The Show

  • June 12, 2024
  • 2 min read
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Morena: We Wanted To Put On The Show

Thapelo Morena credits Bafana Bafana’s energetic performance to their desire to please the fans who packed Toyota Stadium on Tuesday.

11 June will always hold significance for South Africa, marking the opening day of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Morena made this date even more memorable by scoring twice in Bafana’s 3-1 victory over Zimbabwe in the World Cup qualifier.

Bafana climbed from fourth to second place in Group C with seven points, tying Rwanda who beat Lesotho in a neutral venue in Durban. However, Rwanda remains in the top spot due to the head-to-head tiebreaker rule used by CAF.

Morena explained that the team’s determination was evident during training at Dr Molemela Stadium. The overwhelming fan support, both at the airport and during practice, motivated them to perform well.

“The guys are really happy,” Morena said after being named Man of the Match. “From the moment we arrived, we saw the incredible response from the fans, even at training. As a team, we wanted to give back to the Bloemfontein supporters, and by extension, the entire nation. Coach Broos emphasized the importance of maximizing points throughout the week, and we achieved that minimum target. However, we couldn’t capitalize on all the additional chances we created.”

Coach Hugo Broos admitted to making adjustments in the second half after encountering frustrations in the first. These tweaks proved effective when Morena, who came on in the second half, capitalized on a mistake by Zimbabwean goalkeeper Geodfrey Chitsumba, sweeping the loose ball into the net. The second goal came from a beautiful defense-splitting pass by Oswin Appollis, allowing Morena to round Chitsumba and slot the ball into the empty net. This marked Morena’s first ever double for the national team.

Picture courtesy of SAFA

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