Wayde Jooste reveals Bafana Bafana’s secret weapon at CHAN

Bafana Bafana defender Wayde Jooste has revealed the team’s secret weapon for the CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 as they prepare to face Algeria in their opening match of the tournament.

The South African squad, returning to the tournament for the first time since 2014, is unfazed by starting after their opponents have already secured a win.

Jooste believes Bafana’s strong chemistry, underdog status and familiarity among the players are their greatest strengths. They will take on Algeria on Friday at the Mandela National Stadium in Kampala, Uganda, with kick-off set for 4 PM SA time.

“Honestly, I don’t think it’s been that tough because the majority of us have played against each other in our respective leagues,” he said. He explained that this familiarity, with some players even having been teammates at different clubs, has made it easy for the squad to quickly form a cohesive “little family.”

The former Orlando Pirates and AmaZulu FC right-back also sees the team’s relative obscurity on the international stage as a significant advantage. “It’s a very good thing that we are an unknown quantity because they won’t know what to expect from us,” he stated. He believes this will work in their favour, giving them an edge in the group stages.

While Algeria already has three points from their win against co-hosts Uganda, Jooste noted that the Bafana technical team used this opportunity to analyse their opponents. He described Algeria as a “very direct” and “very good team” that deserves to be in the tournament, but confirmed that the South African players are well-prepared after seeing them in action.

Looking ahead to the Friday match, Jooste emphasised the importance of a positive start. He stressed that getting three points in the first game would “take a load off our shoulders” and give them the best chance of progressing from a fiercely contested Group C, which also includes Uganda, Niger, and Guinea.

He added that a strong start is crucial in any tournament to avoid playing catch-up and relying on other results.