South Africa brace for Azteca test against Mexico in World Cup opener

South Africa coach Hugo Broos has challenged his players to block out an expected wall of sound on Thursday when they take on co-hosts Mexico in their World Cup opener.

Broos, 74, will be making an emotional return to the Estadio Azteca when he leads South Africa into their daunting Group A assignment in Mexico City.

The former Belgium international experienced first-hand the noise of the Azteca during the 1986 finals in Mexico, where he played in the Red Devils’ opener against the hosts.

Broos is bracing for more of the same on Thursday in a game that he regards as pivotal to South Africa’s chances of advancing beyond the group stage.

“There will be a big crowd and there will not be so much South African support,” Broos said. “So that is a big help for them (Mexico).

“They will have 85,000 Mexicans shouting and singing. But we have to focus on our game. And if we can do that, if we are not too influenced by the noise of 85,000 Mexicans, then we can have a good game.”

Broos believes Mexico are the team to beat in Group A.

“I think they’ve won nearly all of their last 10 games,” Broos said of “El Tri”.

“So they’ll be a team with confidence…they’re the best team in the group.

“So tomorrow it will be a very tough game. We need to be at our best level, but I can assure you our team is ready to fight for every metre and every ball.”

Broos meanwhile admits he is no fan of the expanded 48-team World Cup, citing the gruelling travel schedule his team faces that includes games in Atlanta and Monterrey.

“It’s a bit too big when you play with 48 countries,” he said. “Forty years ago it was a World Cup in Mexico, but now it is modern times, and we have to adapt.

“It’s more exhausting than the previous World Cup, when you are with less countries but we have to accept it.”

Mexico have played in seven World Cup opening matches but have never won one — a run that coach Javier Aguirre said he was determined to put right.

“We have to break the statistic,” Aguirre said at his pre-match press conference.

“I didn’t know that fact; I’m going to share it with the players. It will be another source of motivation.”

On Thursday, Aguirre will relive the experience of playing a World Cup on home soil 40 years after doing so as a player in 1986.

“Since I arrived 22 months ago, I have had no greater emotion than experiencing a World Cup at home again,” said the 67-year-old coach.

Vanguard News

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