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Cape Town - Reyaad Pieterse has backed Bafana Bafana to do well when they open their COSAFA Cup campaign against Madagascar at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday.
The SuperSport United goalkeeper is adamant the team has prepared well for the game since they reported for camp over a week ago.
Pieterse, who was a member of the team that won the 2016 edition of the competition in Namibia, is confident the young squad assembled by Stuart Baxter, will get past Madagascar in the quarter-finals to set up a meeting with Zambia in the next stage of the tournament.
Pieterse told the COSAFA website: "In football, every day is a new day and a new challenge so we can't really look at history – yes, it's good for us – but at the end of the day, they have played a few games and have been gelling so we just need to get together because Madagascar is not going to be an easy opponent and we need to be prepared for them.
"It's going to be a really exciting game, we have prepared very well and the technical team has given us all the ammunition we need for this encounter and the players are really looking forward to this clash.
"It's an exciting time for us with a lot of youngsters coming through with a lot of talent, so it's definitely looking good for the country and for Bafana Bafana ahead."
Madagascar will be playing their fourth game of the tournament having won Group A on seven points with two wins and a draw.
South Africa on the other hand is among countries that were given a bye and starts the competitions in the quarter-finals.
Pieterse added: "There could be a lot of pros and cons towards the game but looking at how things will pan out either they will be tired or they will come out sharp, so we just need to be prepared for what they throw at us and we need to be know what we have to do–that is to utilise every strength we have in the team and go through to the next round.
"It is a challenge that everyone comes from different clubs where they are used to different styles of play but our preparations have been going quite well. Coach Baxter and his technical team have been trying to get us to gel together–we played a practice match and it went very well, so it is coming together nicely. I believe we can go all the way. The talent that we have here is insane, and there are players that have been left out as well.
"For me it's incredible to have such talent on display for Bafana Bafana, I am really looking forward to the tournament."
