Bafana Bafana striker Evidence Makgopa has discussed how he managed to score in the 3-1 World Cup qualifying win against Ethiopia on Saturday.
The 21-year-old, who turns out for Baroka in the Premier Soccer League, was introduced by coach Hugo Broos in the 79th minute for midfielder Ethan Duncan Brooks and scored the third goal in stoppages.
Teboho Mokoena had put Bafana ahead in the 45th minute before Getaneh Kebende leveled the scores for Ethiopia in the 67th minute and Mothobi Mvala restored Bafana’s lead in the 71st minute.
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Makgopa has revealed what made him score easily in the game at Bahir Dar Stadium.
‘I was able to analyse the game’
“First I could see when I was on the bench, I was able to analyse which one I could go to, I mean from the two centre-backs,” he told Bafana’s media department as quoted by idiskitimes.
“So luckily enough when I got onto the pitch, so that’s what happened. Lucky enough, I found myself in the right position at the right time.”
“I come from a small rural area, a place called GaMampa, at Limpopo. So that place is more pleased but I think I showed everyone that everything is possible in life.
“You just have to keep on going. Believe in yourself. I think even young boys that are looking up to us as an inspiration or idols, they can take that, and say ja, ‘if Makgopa can do it, we also can do it’.”
‘We changed a bit of formation at half-time’
Meanwhile, Mvala has explained how they managed to beat Ethiopia away.
“I think the game was very tough yesterday, Ethiopia is a very good team. They were playing, especially in the middle of the park, they were giving us a hard time,” Mvala told Safa media as quoted by idiskitimes.
“But we also had our moment, you know, in attack, they had their moment. And thanks to Ronza, he made very good saves in the first half that kept us in the game.
“And when we went into half-time, in the changing room, we changed a bit the formation, we put Tebza and Brooks, just in front of me and I stayed behind, and I think it worked for us.
“And we managed them very, very well. And that’s where we managed to get goals and I think our defending was very good. And our set-pieces, because we knew that we had a height advantage, and we used it wisely.”
South Africa will host Ethiopia at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on Tuesday.