Bafana Bafana midfielder Sphephelo Sithole says the unwavering support he received from his teammates and coach Hugo Broos has given him the confidence to bounce back from his difficult FIFA World Cup debut as South Africa prepare for a make-or-break clash against South Korea.
South Africa’s World Cup campaign got off to a disastrous start with a 2-0 defeat to co-hosts Mexico, a match Sithole would rather forget.
The midfielder endured a nightmare evening, with his mistake contributing to Mexico’s opening goal before he was sent off in the second half.
However, the Portugal-based star insists the encouragement he received after the match has helped him put the disappointment behind him and focus on helping Bafana achieve a historic milestone.
“I know that I didn’t have a good game in the first game, but I think the response that I got from the team was good,” Sithole said.
“Everyone was supportive, even the coach as well. He supported me very well, so I think what makes us a very good team is that in our group, we have very good human beings.”
Sithole missed Bafana’s second Group A match against Czechia through suspension, a game that ended in a hard-fought 1-1 draw.
He is now available again and could be called upon to fill the void left by suspended midfield general Teboho Mokoena, who is ruled out after accumulating two yellow cards.
The stakes could not be higher for South Africa. Bafana need nothing less than a victory against South Korea to stand a chance of reaching the World Cup knockout stages for the first time in their history.
While South Korea only need a draw to progress, Sithole believes the South Africans are fully motivated to rise to the occasion.
“The only thing that we need to do tomorrow is to win the game if we want to qualify. We are more than motivated for that,” he added.
With a place in the knockout rounds hanging in the balance, Sithole now has the perfect opportunity to turn his World Cup story around and help Bafana make history on the biggest stage of all.