Bafana much smarter – Angola coach

Angola’s coach Romeu Filemon

Angola’s coach Romeu Filemon has admitted South Africa were “much smarter” on Friday in the first leg of their World Cup qualifier but promised a new strategy to try and turn around the situation in Tuesday’s second leg in Durban.

“You have to give credit to South Africa because they were a much smarter team,” he told reporters on Saturday as his side set off for South Africa for the return match of their second leg tie.

Bafana won 3-1 in Benguela on Friday in the first leg for a huge advantage in their bid to advance to the next phase of African qualification for the 2018 World Cup finals.

“They were strong and swift and then in the second half they held a low block and set out on the counterattack,” he said.

But he did complain about the penalty, converted by Andile Jali, which Angola conceded late in the game and which looked somewhat soft.

Filemon said his side had done well itself on offensive transition but did not pressure enough in the midfield and on the edge of the penalty area and gave away two goals in the first half.

He claimed to have studied the South African style of play, particularly on the attack, but said he was surprised by Bafana Bafana’s strength in the midfield and with their finishing, which Angola had identified as areas of weakness.

“The team did not have enough spirit to turn around the score in the first half, because some players were late in their defensive actions and not pressing as they should,” he said.

“We had many chances to score but lacked the ability to turn the opportunities into goals.”

Asked about the second leg of this tie, Filemon said it would be tough but was “refusing to throw in the towel”.

He promised changes in the line-up and to adopt another strategy to try and force a result at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.