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Last chance for Blitzboks to qualify for quarterfinals

football25 July 2024 08:32
By:Brenden Nel
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Selvyn Davids © Getty Images

The Blitzboks have one last chance to salvage their Olympic Games dream when they face Japan at 4pm Thursday (GMT+2, CAT).

With losses in their opening two games, the Blitzboks must beat Japan with a good score to qualify for the quarterfinals as one of the so-called “lucky losers” - or best third placed teams in the pools in the convaluted draw that is the 12 team Olympic competition.

With New Zealand and Ireland already claiming their quarterfinal spots with two wins each in Pool A, the Blitzboks can give themselves a chance by beating Japan well and sneaking into the quarters, thereby keeping their dream alive.

Argentina and Australia have already qualified from Pool B, while Pool C has already seen Fiji lay down a marker and hosts France qualify for the quarters.

Those last two spots will then be taken by the two best teams that finish third with the USA already looking like its claimed one of them, following their 12-all draw against France on Wednesday.

Even if USA lose to Uruguay, they will get one point on the log for losing and at three points currently are already one point ahead of the Blitzboks in their respective groups.

The focus then is on the Samoa v Kenya game and not only the outcome there, but also the scoreline between the two sides that will determine just how much the Blitzboks need to win by.

Samoa face Kenya at 2pm, so the Blitzboks will know going into the game what they will need to do.

Still, even if they do qualify, the Blitzboks could end up facing Ireland or New Zealand again, as they will get a lower seeding and will face one of the form teams from day one in the quarterfinals.

But the onus is on them to turn a bad day one into a good day two and give themselves a chance. Coach Philip Snyman believes they can do it, as long as they don’t repeat the mistakes of Day one.

“We’re still in it, but it is up to us and if we play like we did today and we don’t get ourselves up for that game, Japan is going to come hard for us and we are going to make it a long day for ourselves,” Snyman said.

“It is all in our hands and if we come out tomorrow and everyone fires together on defence and we do exactly what we can and on attack we keep our ball, this team can play in the quarterfinals and go further, but not if we play like we did today.”

All games are live on your Channel of Champions, SuperSport.

SCHEDULE FOR DAY TWO

2pm Samoa v Kenya

2.30pm Argentina v Australia

3pm USA v Uruguay

3.30pm Fiji v France

4pm South Africa v Japan

4.30pm Ireland v New Zealand

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