AFCON 2023: Cape Verde Coach Explains How They Can Beat South Africa in Quarter Final

• Cape Verde face South Africa in the quarter-final of the 2023 AFCON
• The Blue Sharks are unbeaten in the competition so far
• Cape Verde coach says they have a plan of how they can beat South Africa

Cape Verde's fate at the Africa Cup of Nations will be decided when they face South Africa in the quarter-final on February 3.

The Blue Sharks have been one of the standout teams in Ivory Coast and have produced eye-catching performances in all the games they've played.

Their manager, Bubista, says they are not scared of facing South Africa, and they may have a plan.

The Islanders topped Group, which had top dogs Ghana and Egypt, and narrowly edged Mauritania in the Round of 16.

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They are in the quarter-final for the second time. The first time they did it was in 2013 in South Africa, where they lost to Ghana.

Furthermore, these two sides are meeting at the AFCON for the second time. They met in the group stage in the 2013 edition, per Opta Analyst.

Meanwhile, Bafana Bafana eliminated Morocco in the Round of 16 following a superb 2-0 victory. That result is arguably the biggest upset in the competition.

Hugo Broos' side last won the tournament in 1996 and are aiming to end their drought.

Bubista' on Cape Verde's plan

Speaking ahead of the mouth-watering, Bubista said they are ready for the game. The coach added that they know exactly what to do to reach the semi-final.

“For us to reach the semi-final, we need to work good as a team, united as a team, we can only win if we work together as a team, we have a good mindset in the squad, good morale, we have the support too and because of that we’ll do all we can to bring more joy to the country,” via iDiski Times.

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Bubista added that they are not scared of facing South Africa.

“No we’re not scared, we’re not scared at all, there’s no fear, we have the experience to understand it’s a match and of course, we’ve played South Africa before, and defeated them,” he stressed.

Cape Verde and South Africa have played some of the best football at the tournament, and their matchup will certainly be a must-watch.

South Africa's road to the AFCON final

Sports Brief has also reported on South Africa's road to the AFCON 2023 final set to be played on February 11.

They will next face Cape Verde in the quarter-finals with a semis place at stake. If they prevail there, Bafana Bafana will face the winner of Nigeria versus Angola.