Marian Marinica: Zimbabwe Coach Shares Honest Assessment of Bafana Bafana Ahead of AFCON Clash

Zimbabwe coach Marian Marinică acknowledges that Bafana Bafana might feel the sting of their defeat to Egypt, but he doesn’t expect it to affect their performance in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Group B showdown on Monday.

With a victory guaranteeing progression to the AFCON round of 16 for either team, the match promises an intense Cosafa clash, although Egypt has already secured qualification after winning both of their opening games.

With South Africa needing only to steer clear of a loss, the onus is on the Warriors, who recently derailed South Africa’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying hopes by securing a draw at Moses Mabhida Stadium just a few months ago.

Marinica on Zimbabwe facing Bafana Bafana

Marinica during the post match interview was honest about his evaluation of Bafana Bafana claiming he can't suggest what's going through the minds of the team.

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“It’s hard to say exactly what’s going through their minds. They likely face certain mental challenges, which are part of the game. We experienced something similar against Egypt when we felt a VAR penalty should have been awarded,” Marinică explained.

“Our players and staff are professionals who don’t dwell on past results. Each match is a fresh challenge. Rivalries can sometimes be exaggerated, but everyone is focused on winning fairly. Both sides will give their all on the field.”

“Our aim is to win, which is part of the excitement of football. We can’t let external opinions dominate our focus. At the end of the day, it’s a game, not a conflict, and we hope to perform at our best to come out on top.”

Reflecting on Bafana’s difficulty against Egypt’s back-three formation with wing-backs, Marinică added that they won’t necessarily adopt the same tactics.

“Every team has to adapt to its own strengths. Egypt believed that formation suited them, but we will choose the approach that works best for our squad,” he concluded.

Source: Briefly News