Kenya already through as co-hosts but Bafana must keep top spot to secure Afcon place

Kenya coach Benni McCarthy, who is Bafana Bafana’s all-time goalscorer, has admitted that he still wants the best for Bafana, albeit insisting he will not make things easy for them.

Bafana welcome Kenya to Orlando Amstel Arena for the first of two Afcon qualifiers on Friday (6pm). The second meeting is billed for Nyawo National Stadium in Nairobi next Tuesday (6pm SA time).

“Now I am on the other side of the dugout and I am against everything that I’ve helped build to where it is now, so yeah, it’s a little bit mixed emotions,” McCarthy told SportyTV.

“It’s a proud moment, because I am still representing my country — even though I am the head coach for the opposition team ... I want the best for my country but I am definitely not going to make it easy for them.”

McCarthy, who coached Cape Town City and AmaZulu in the PSL in the past, suggested facing Bafana at Orlando Stadium will evoke conflicting emotions for him, as he played there for Orlando Pirates during the twilight of his illustrious career.

“[I have] mixed emotions, to be honest, because I go home to where my roots are. I go home to a place I called home once upon a time, Orlando Stadium. I go home to adoring fans that always cheered, always supported, no matter what, and I have always had unbelievable moments in front of them,” McCarthy said.

After beating Guinea and Eritrea in their two opening matches last month, Bafana remain top of Group D of these qualifiers for next year’s Afcon, to be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

As Kenya have already qualified by virtue of being one of the hosts, only one team will qualify from Group D, meaning the Pitso Mosimane’s men should hold onto their top spot until the end if they are to secure their place at the finals in the Pamoja region.