Bafana Bafana played to a 0-0 draw against Libya in their 2019 Afcon qualifier and coach Stuart Baxter says he was not surprised at their will to win the game.

Bafana failed to use their home-ground advantage as they played to a goalless stalemate against Group E leaders Libya, who looked far more dangerous than Stuart Baxter’s charges in their clash at the Moses Mabhida Stadium over the weekend.

Despite having prepared for the game with a midweek training match against AmaZulu with specific focus on breaking down a deep-lying defensive unit, Bafana failed to carve out The Mediterranean Knights’ stubborn defence.

‘I said before the game that I had seen them play two different ways. And I saw them play two different ways in one game,’ Baxter told the media after the game.

‘So I knew they had a more aggressive pressing game and I knew that they could drop off and try to tempt us to press a bit higher and then get behind us.

‘So we had to practise two different games as well. And the players did a good job in terms of that, because Libya didn’t get a goal, and we were the ones who were supposed to push on and win the game.

‘And we could have very easily have been caught with our trousers down had we overextended ourselves [pressing for a winner],’ said Baxter.

‘They still created a few situations, as we will create situations when we go to their place. But it’s about us taking advantage of what we have got. And I didn’t think we did that.

‘I didn’t think we took advantage of the scraps that fell from the table when they overplayed or when we defended quite strongly and won the ball.

‘I would have liked us to play with a bit more quality. And then maybe we would have got the goal, and then maybe they would have had to come out, and then the game changes.

‘But I wasn’t surprised by them. Maybe you guys [the media] were surprised that they’re a tidy football team,’ he concluded.

To qualify for next year’s continental showpiece, Bafana will need to garner back-to-back victories in their next two matches against Seychelles on 10 October (away) and 13 October (home) respectively.

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