Keshi must brace up for war – Bafana coach

Bafana Bafana head coach Ephraim ‘Shakes’ Mashaba has warned Nigeria boss Stephen Keshi that he must ‘brace himself for war’ ahead of their clash in Cape Town  on Wednesday.
South Africa welcome the Super Eagles to the Cape Town Stadium in the second round of 2015 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers in midweek.
The Group A clash will see a confident Bafana take on nemesis Nigeria, who are wounded by their 3-2 opening weekend defeat to Congo-Brazzaville in Calabar.
Stephen Keshi
Stephen Keshi
South Africa, mean while, are brimming with confidence following their 3-0 win in Khartoum  on Friday, but will face a different challenge all together when the Eagles land on South African soil.
Keshi’s men famously won the 2013 African Cup of Nations in South Africa while the West Africans trounced Bafana 3-1 in the 2014 CHAN tournament at the very stadium where the two rivals will meet  on Wednesday.
“This Nigeria team has been giving us nightmares, but we will fight in every game,” said Mashaba.
“When two Elephants meet, it is grass that suffers. Watch out, brace yourself for war that day [when Mashaba meets Keshi], because, like I have indicated earlier on, they [Nigeria], have given us sleepless nights.”
Mashaba, who took over from Gordon Igesund in July, feels a win  on Wednesday  would change a lot of things football in South Africa for the better.
“This is one time they must brace themselves for war up to the fullest, it won’t be an easy walk in the park for both teams, but what we are looking for is to come out victorious and that win will change a lot of things in our football, both in administration, media wise, any structure that you talk about,” Mashaba added.
“We win that game [and] things will change for the better.”