Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos is confident of a win against Ethiopia in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier despite allegations of sabotage.
The two teams face off in a doubleheader with the first game scheduled for October 9 in Addis Ababa and the reverse fixture on October 12, 2021.
The Belgian trainer speaking in an interview says he feels sabotaged after some South African clubs failed to release their players for the doubler header.
He has experienced some weird circumstances since assuming the role as head coach.
The 69-year old was not granted access to Orlando Stadium for Orlando Pirates' home match against Mamelodi Sundowns and revealed the incident to the South African public live on national television when naming his squad.
Two player Goodman Mosele and Thabiso Kutumela have also withdrawn from the squad.
"We are in front of two key matches. When you play qualifiers, Afcon or World Cup, match three and four are always key matches",Hugo Broos said ahead of the game.
"Those are matches that can be decisive matches. You can be out of the race, or you can be in a very good position.
"So that is also for us. If we can win these two games, Ethiopia is out of the race, and then we'll have to see what happens in the games of Zimbabwe and Ghana.
"We have to do everything to get six points."
Broos continued: "When we play our game (against Ethiopia), and we play as we did against Ghana, with the same confidence and the same belief, then I think it is possible to win in Ethiopia.
"What I've seen today and yesterday on training, when I see the behaviour of the players in the group, I am confident, I really am confident. Like I was before.
"It's just the players that have to believe it. And they believed it with their performance against Ghana.
Bafana are four points to the good after their goalless draw against Zimbabwe and hard-fought 1-0 win against Ghana.