Washington Arubi Explains How He Used Sundowns Knowledge to Stop Bafana Bafana

When Knowledge Musona was sent off and Zimbabwe were forced to finish with ten men, veteran goalkeeper Washington Arubi became the on-field general — calmly reorganising his defence in real time.

Drawing from his years in South African football, Arubi recognised the familiar attacking rhythm of Bafana Bafana, whose style mirrors that of Mamelodi Sundowns — sharp, possession-based play through the middle rather than from wide areas.

“I told the guys to close the centre,” Arubi revealed. “These players move the ball like Sundowns — they prefer combinations and through balls instead of crosses. So, if we shut the central lanes and forced them wide, they’d be uncomfortable. And it worked.”

The Warriors executed the adjustment perfectly. Compact in shape, disciplined in spacing, and confident in their aerial duels, they frustrated South Africa’s intricate build-up play and neutralised the threat from open play.

Midfielder Marshall Munetsi later explained that the team’s defensive composure came from both Arubi’s leadership and their shared understanding of the opponent’s rhythm:

“We just wanted to express ourselves, but in the right structure,” said Munetsi. “We knew how they play, and once we controlled the middle, we had a real chance to frustrate them.”

It was a small tactical tweak — but one born of experience — that turned a potential collapse into a statement of resilience and intelligence from the Warriors.