Mothobi Mvala giving hope to the people of Theunissen ahead of Peter Shalulile battle

This township has not had running water for the past three

This is what this game means to the people of Theunissen as Bafana Bafana rock-solid defender Mvala told SABC Sport at their base here in Korhogo, in Côte d’Ivoire, just a stone’s throw away from the stadium.

Mvala, who hails from Theunissen, a small town between Bloemfontein and Welkom, is also proof that to play at the highest level of continental football, you do not have to come from the big city and all dreams are possible.

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“It means a lot because a place like my township doesn't have a lot of opportunities to develop or things like academies.

“There’s always lots of problems, even now they haven’t had water in three months, and for them now seeing one of their own playing in this big tournament at least it takes their stress away.

“For me it really motivates me, and I know that it motivates the younger ones that are growing. It also gives a lot of hope, nami (I also) grew up with ambitions of playing in the PSL or representing Bafana Bafana one day and my dream came true.

“For me now, it’s also about motivating the other ones that are coming after me, and for them to see me here, I know that...it means a lot to them,”  said a happy Mvala.

Ahead of an interesting battle and the Southern African derby against neighbours Namibia on Sunday at the Amadou Gon Coulibaly stadium, Mvala and his nine other Sundowns teammates in this Bafana team come face to face with their teammate at Sundowns ---one of Africa’s leading strikers based on the continent, Peter Shalulile.

After Bafana lost the opening game 2-0 to Mali and Shalulile made history with his Brave Warriors teammates, beating Tunisia 1-0, registering their first ever win at the AFCON, pressure is on Hugo Broos’ team to respond.

But marking Shalulile, is a battle Mvala is looking forward to.

“A very exciting man, a very tough opponent, it will be my first time playing against him but I’m looking forward to the game and it is going to be an exciting game.

“He’s a very good player, a player who has an eye for a goal and doesn’t need a lot of chances to get a goal.

Do you always win that battle at training? “Ja, sometimes he beats me, so it’s always a positive competition,” said Mvala, who comes a long way with Shalulile as they also played together at Highlands Park and joined Sundowns together.

A win for Namibia in this game would see Bafana being eliminated from the competition but a victory puts them in a good position for a knockout berth.