South African football can now tentatively begin talking about a turning point, said Bafana Bafana coach Ephraim “Shakes” Mashaba following the team’s qualification for the 2015 African Cup of Nations.
Bafana rounded up an excellent qualification campaign with a nervy, but ultimately convincing 2-1 victory against Sudan at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday that saw the team reach African Cup of Nations 2015 with the match against Nigeria in Uyo on Wednesday to spare.
On 11 points, SA are guaranteed finishing Group A leaders. They qualified for their first major tournament since the 2008 Afcon in Ghana.
Mashaba encouraged SA football to strike while the iron is hot, and capitalise on the positive signs that have emerged recently in a professional manner.
SA’s U17s and U20s have also qualified for continental championships, the U20s with Mashaba as coach before he took the Bafana position three months ago.
“I spoke to the president and said, ‘We’re not doing well. And it’s not because Bafana are not doing well – it’s the junior teams that aren’t qualifying for these tournaments’,” Mashaba said.
“I don’t know which country has good junior structures and does not manage to perform. If we talk about a turning point, the gods of football are smiling on us. And we need to capitalise on that.”
It might have been a nervy performance for Bafana, especially in the first 35 minutes, then last 10 again. Tactically, it was not in the class of their best and most important game of the qualifiers – the 3-0 win against Congo in Pointe Noire.
But Mashaba was overall pleased with a display where Bafana were at times brilliant, dealt with the pressure of needing a home win before their trip to play Nigeria on Wednesday, and put aside the emotions of the past three weeks since the murder of captain and goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa.
“Sudan had a plan. They were not here to win, but to draw. In the first half they had a break – if they had punished us there it would have been difficult for us to come back.
“But I would like to say, after a long time, it’s good to see our boys playing the kind of football they played.
“Darren Keet did very well coming in for our late goalkeeper. We nearly gave it away at the end. The players sat at the back and invited Sudan to come at us, but our defence and midfield did very well to keep them at bay.”
While the result of Wednesday’s game against Nigeria in Uyo is now academic, Mashaba said Bafana will be going for a win. He hinted SA need to take the opportunity to try to end the psychological hold the Super Eagles have had on Bafana.
“We’re going to play our best team. It’s more than the three points we’re going to be playing for – it’s a lot of things. It’s going to be tough.”
Everyone who could got in on the Bafana celebrations in the change-rooms after the game, including swimmer Chad le Clos, Higher Education minister Blade Nzimande, Mamelodi Sundowns owner Patrice Motsepe and Safa president Danny Jordaan.
Bafana left for Nigeria yesterday.
Unstoppable Bafana turn the corner
Bafana rounded up an excellent qualification campaign with a nervy, but ultimately convincing 2-1 victory against Sudan at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday that saw the team reach African Cup of Nations 2015 with the match against Nigeria in Uyo on Wednesday to spare.
On 11 points, SA are guaranteed finishing Group A leaders. They qualified for their first major tournament since the 2008 Afcon in Ghana.
Mashaba encouraged SA football to strike while the iron is hot, and capitalise on the positive signs that have emerged recently in a professional manner.
SA’s U17s and U20s have also qualified for continental championships, the U20s with Mashaba as coach before he took the Bafana position three months ago.
“I spoke to the president and said, ‘We’re not doing well. And it’s not because Bafana are not doing well – it’s the junior teams that aren’t qualifying for these tournaments’,” Mashaba said.
“I don’t know which country has good junior structures and does not manage to perform. If we talk about a turning point, the gods of football are smiling on us. And we need to capitalise on that.”
It might have been a nervy performance for Bafana, especially in the first 35 minutes, then last 10 again. Tactically, it was not in the class of their best and most important game of the qualifiers – the 3-0 win against Congo in Pointe Noire.
But Mashaba was overall pleased with a display where Bafana were at times brilliant, dealt with the pressure of needing a home win before their trip to play Nigeria on Wednesday, and put aside the emotions of the past three weeks since the murder of captain and goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa.
“Sudan had a plan. They were not here to win, but to draw. In the first half they had a break – if they had punished us there it would have been difficult for us to come back.
“But I would like to say, after a long time, it’s good to see our boys playing the kind of football they played.
“Darren Keet did very well coming in for our late goalkeeper. We nearly gave it away at the end. The players sat at the back and invited Sudan to come at us, but our defence and midfield did very well to keep them at bay.”
While the result of Wednesday’s game against Nigeria in Uyo is now academic, Mashaba said Bafana will be going for a win. He hinted SA need to take the opportunity to try to end the psychological hold the Super Eagles have had on Bafana.
“We’re going to play our best team. It’s more than the three points we’re going to be playing for – it’s a lot of things. It’s going to be tough.”
Everyone who could got in on the Bafana celebrations in the change-rooms after the game, including swimmer Chad le Clos, Higher Education minister Blade Nzimande, Mamelodi Sundowns owner Patrice Motsepe and Safa president Danny Jordaan.
Bafana left for Nigeria yesterday.
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