Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter is confident that  Wayne Sandilands and Ronwen Williams can hold their own in the absence of number one, Itumeleng Khune if needs be.

Khune sustained a fractured bone in his face after he collided with Kurt Lentjies in Kaizer Chiefs’ 1-0 victory against Chippa United in the Telkom Knockout quarter-finals over the weekend.

With Khune set for various assessments prior to Friday’s encounter, Baxter revealed that he has faith in the ability of back-up keepers, Sandilands and Williams.

“I will be honest, I don’t think in terms of when he plays and when they didn’t play we didn’t win,” he said in a press conference.

“You have got to believe in your players and they have got to believe in themselves.

“If we keep worrying about what has happened in the past lots of things have happened in the past,” the coach explained.

“If we constantly drag the past into our now, we will struggle,” he said.

“I don’t want to think negatively. This is not going to enter my world. It doesn’t matter who is in goal.

“These guys have been in goal because I believe they can do the job and that is the way we are going to look at this game.”

“Whoever is picked needs to know that they have been picked because they can do a job. They would need to go in and give it everything they have got.

“The example is that of Morgan Gould and Clayton Daniels when the captain (Thulani Hlatshwayo) and (Eric) Mathoho weren’t playing against Burkina Faso.

“Those two were outstanding against Nigeria. And you are wondering how in the world is it going to work out in such a big game without the skipper.

“We ended up being rock solid. That is the answer. I have been with this squad for 30 days and it is very early doors to say they know their job off to perfection. I think we have a good appreciation of our jobs and roles. I would like to be at a point where players who come in do a job properly,” he concluded.

 

-This story originally appeared on SportsClub.co.za