Afcon qualifier: Bafana 'going for the win' in hostile Liberia, says confident Zwane

Veteran forward Themba Zwane believes that Bafana Bafana can overcome Liberia in their backyard and secure their qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast next year.

South Africa allowed the Lone Stars to come from behind to secure a 2-2 draw in stoppage time, stunning the home fans into silence at Orlando Stadium.

The draw meant Hugo Broos’s charges will have to earn a win against Liberia on Tuesday in Monrovia to be certain of an Afcon ticket.

"We're positive, we're going for the win," Zwane, 33, who plays for Mamelodi Sundowns and South Africa, told SAFA media.

"We know we can push ourselves, play our good football, and try to take our chances. We’re ready for the game."

Defeat against 150th-ranked Liberia would ultimately mean Bafana have no chance of boarding a flight to Ivory Coast in January.

However, a draw would mean both Bafana and Liberia still have a chance of Afcon qualification, depending on their final matchday results against Group K log leaders Morocco in June.

If tied on points, tiebreakers are applied in the following order (Regulations Article 14):

Broos, who walked out on his post-match media duties after Bafana's drawn match on Friday, issued a public apology on Saturday prior to flying out to Liberia.

"I did not fulfil my media obligations, and I want to apologise for that. But I am a human being, and the emotions took control over me," he said.

"I know from experience that it is better not to say anything in the heat of the moment, and that’s what I did."

As is usually the case when Bafana travel the continent, it is expected that Tuesday’s highly-anticipated clash will be a hostile affair, with the stakes particularly high in this encounter at the 22 000-seat Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium.

Kic