Ex-Barcelona star admits Bafana’s technical skill caused ‘problems’ for Panama

Ex-Barcelona star and Panama head coach Thomas Christiansen has admitted that his side struggled to contain Bafana Bafana’s technical superiority during their 1-1 draw at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday night.

Despite being ranked 34th in the FIFA world rankings—significantly higher than their hosts—Los Canaleros were frequently on the back foot as Hugo Broos’ men dictated the tempo in Durban.

Speaking after the stalemate, the former Barcelona player conceded that while jet lag played a role in his team’s sluggishness, it was the South Africans’ comfort on the ball that caused the most tactical headaches.

‘A Very Technical Team’ – Christiansen On Bafana

“We knew exactly what we were going to find here in South Africa—a technical team, very good with the ball,” Christiansen told the media.

“That was our problem; we didn’t defend those points well enough. We tried to do our best, but the trip has been long, and the jet lag affected many players. It was a physical game, but we have to analyse why it went the way it did.”

The visitors took an early lead through Édgar Bárcenas following a defensive lapse from Bafana, but they were unable to hold onto the advantage as Oswin Appollis levelled matters in the second half.

Beyond the result, Christiansen has been left sweating over the fitness of two key veterans. Goalkeeper Luis Mejía and defender Eric Davis were both forced off during the clash.

“We need to examine both to see what they have. One is a muscle injury [Mejía], and the other is a shoulder issue [Davis]. I am not a doctor, so I cannot give you the final answer yet,” he added.

With the second leg of this friendly double-header scheduled for Cape Town on Tuesday, Christiansen is viewing the quick turnaround as a chance to rectify the defensive “softness” his side displayed in Durban.

“The good thing is that we have another game against the same team in a few day,s where we can improve on what we should do better against them,” the coach concluded.