If Bafana Bafana could not qualify as one of 16 teams to play at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), then what chance do they have of securing one of the five 2018 World Cup spots available for African teams?
With just one goal at home and one victory in six matches, the Afcon qualifying campaign was a total disaster for the team, but midfielders Keagan Dolly and Dean Furman have not lost hope even though the World Cup qualifiers are about a month away.
The latter even believes that Egypt will give Bafana good preparation before the World Cup qualifiers.
They host the Pharaohs in the Nelson Mandela Challenge at the Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg tonight (7pm).
Egypt have brought a full strength squad for the friendly‚ including seven players at clubs in Europe.
The visitors have also included 43-year-old goalkeeper Essam Al Hadari who first played against Bafana Bafana 10 years ago.
Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny and Roma winger Mohamed Salah‚ formerly with Chelsea‚ are the star attractions of the side coached by Hector Cuper‚ formerly of Inter Milan.
Both Elneny and Salah made their way to the English Premier League through Swiss champions FC Basle‚ who have done well in securing Egyptian talent in recent seasons.
But the man to watch is the sensational teenager Ramadan Sobhi‚ whose recent move to Stoke City earned Al Ahly a reported £5-million (about R95-million).
It is a formidable-looking squad that will ask many questions of South Africa’s beleaguered national team whose coach is under fire for below-par results.
But according to Dolly, the players are feeling bad because of all the pressure and criticism that coach Shakes Mashaba has been subjected to.
“Obviously it make us feel bad. The coach and the technical staff believed in us, which is why they call us up. I don’t think they need to take the blame,” said Dolly.
“We need to take the blame because we are the ones not converting chances. We stand together as one team and we always support the coach. Hopefully things will change.”
Bafana collected just three points out of a possible nine at home in their just completed Afcon qualifying campaign, a poor record which is not good enough if they want to constantly be involved at major competitions. Furman has called for improvements at home when their World Cup qualifying campaign begins.
“The main feeling is that three points from our home matches is not good enough and that’s not going to help you qualify for major tournaments. That’s something we got to put right. We need to use our home advantage,” the holding midfielder said.
“I think the overriding factor is that we were playing catch up from the start. We drew at home to Gambia and then we lost to Mauritania. From then on it was a big ask to go and qualify. So it’s important we get off to a good start in our group. And our finishing in open play can be better.” — Additional reporting by Mark Gleeson