Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter hailed his players for executing their game plan as they shocked Africa Cup of Nations hosts Egypt with a 1-0 win in their round of 16 clash on Saturday.
Bafana only just scraped through the group stages and were given little chance of beating the North African giants on home soil.
However, a late Thembinkhosi Lorch strike stunned a packed out Cairo International Stadium as the South Africans sent the hosts crashing out of the tournament.
Mohamed Salah and Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan were touted as danger men for the Pharos’ and Baxter revealed after the game that they had a plan to stop Egypt’s star men, which the players executed perfectly.
Done and dusted.
Egypt players slump in disbelief after they were stunned by @BafanaBafana before a sell out crowd at Cairo International Stadium last night.
Bafana Bafana next meet Nigeria on 10 July. #AFCON2019 pic.twitter.com/xwomRATGWk— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) July 7, 2019
‘They worked really hard. We had a game plan (on) how we would try to stop the supply to Salah and Trezeguet,’ Baxter told the media after the famous win.
‘I think we succeeded in [doing] that. It meant that their best players did not influence the game.’
‘Once we did that we grew in confidence and even our attacking play was much better tonight, he added.
‘It feels fantastic to beat Egypt on their home ground. It is a wonderful experience for the boys. I think the country (South Africa) should be proud,’ conclude a buyont Baxter.
South Africa will now face Nigeria in a quarterfinal clash at the Cairo International Stadium on Wednesday.
