Bafana Bafana's Nigerian hoodoo struck for a sixth time when Nigeria beat South Africa 1-0 in a tense, hard fought 2010 African Nations Cup qualifier played at the ERPU Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
Bafana have never beaten the Super Eagles in six competitive matches in which they have also failed to score against the Nigerians.
The result ends Bafana's slender hopes of reaching the next phase of qualifying for the 2010 continental showpiece in Angola.
Bafana's last Group Four match away to Equatorial Guinea is academic. The win confirms the Super Eagles as Group Four winners and a place in the next qualifying round for 2010.
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But Bafana put up a brave fight and deserved better. They certainly did not deserve to lose. Nigeria were in a fight and know that they should have come off second best. But Bafana learnt for the umpteenth time that no matter how well they play, it is goals that win matches. To be fair this was Bafana's best performance in Group Four.
But if ever there was glory or honour in defeat it was here at the ERPU cabbage patch.
The atmosphere was electric. The Port Elizabeth fans were magnificent. They cheered their heroes every time they had the ball.
But Nigeria defended brilliantly and never cracked under pressure and showed what a class side they are.
Bafana played Nigeria off the park in the one-sided first half. This despite Bafana head coach Joel Santana's negative starting line up where he opted for two defensive midfielders in Macbeth Sibaya and Kagisho Dikgacoi and captain Benni McCarthy as the lone striker.
But it was obvious that the Super Eagles, who had already won the group, were content to go through the motions.
Bafana roared on the near capacity 20 000 plus crowd did what was expected of them by taking the initiative and the game to the more fancied Nigerians.
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