South Africa National football team coach Shakes Mashaba has revealed that he hopes to stay with his team in Equatorial Guinea till the final day in pursuit of 2015 AFCON success like the 1996 squad that claimed the honors.
Mashaba said the national team are only planning on returning home after the AFCON final on February 8, and is encouraged by their opponents’ perceived billing as favorites over Bafana.
We are coming back after the 10th [of February] after the final is played. We have packed our bags expecting for a long stay there,
“In 1996 we set the standard that we are championship material. With this team we are trying to revive that spirit and show that we are one of the best.”
Bafana Bafana will undergo their final preparations when they face Mali in Gabon on Wednesday afternoon, before jetting off to Equatorial Guinea for this year’s continental showpiece.
South Africa will face Senegal, Algeria and Ghana in group C.