Cape Verde coach Lucio Antunes says he and his side 'have a great deal of respect for South Africa' ahead of the opening match of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.
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The Blues Sharks, who will be making their first appearance at an AFCON tournament, take on host team Bafana Bafana at the National Stadium in Soweto on Saturday evening.
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Antunes has been the mastermind behind Cape Verde's rise to prominence in African football, culminating in their stunning 3-2 aggregate victory over heavyweights Cameroun in the final round of qualifiers.
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The former air traffic controller, who had a week's internship with Real Madrid's Mourinho last month in preparation for the tournament, told Fifa.com that just reaching the AFCON finals is a major feat.
South Africa wont be carried away with that. No side is a small team anymore.Everyone is up to the task
Our Super Eagles should go and face everyone with equal respect, that's the way to go.