It wasn’t a solid group stage campaign, but Bafana Bafana did just enough to progress to the knockout stage of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).
Bafana held Tunisia to a goalless draw in their last game in Group E at Stade Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium on Wednesday night to finish second in the group on four points.
🚨 Off to the Round of 16 we go!!! 🚨
— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) January 24, 2024
We can confirm that we have finished 2nd in Group E. #TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 #afcon2023 #BafanaPride pic.twitter.com/QkVi6RBRYU
Bafana’s first and only victory in the group was the 4-0 win over neighbours Namibia, who finished third in the group after the 0-0 draw with log leaders Mali in their last game.
By virtue of their second-place finish, Bafana will now face the winners of Group F in the knockout stage at Laurent Pokou Stadium in San Pedro on Tuesday night.
Bafana and Tunisia came to this match on the back of two contrasting results, having the former beaten Namibia while the Carthage Eagles drew with Mali.
But such has been Tunisia’s superiority over Bafana in recent times — having beaten them 2-0 and 3-1 in the group stage in 2006 and 2008 — they were expected to come out tops.
But it wasn’t to be. By half-time and full-time the two teams were still deadlocked as Bafana progressed to the last 16 while Tunisia were eliminated from the tournament.
Bafana deserved kudos for the result as they were sound defensively, keeping Seifeddine Jaziri, who replaced talisman Youssef Msakni in the starting Xl, at bay in both halves.
Bafana were perhaps not only motivated by the fact that they beat the Carthage Eagles 2-0 in the 1996 Afcon final, but that they had players who knew African football as well.
Coach Hugo Broos had eight players from African Football League champions Mamelodi Sundowns and one from Champions League holders Al Ahly in Percy Tau.
And from the Sundowns’ eight, four were defenders: Mothobi Mvala, Grant Kekana, Aubrey Modiba and Khuliso Mudau, and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
So as the Carthage Eagles mounted the pressure in the opening stages, Bafana’s defence stood firm, forcing the North Africans to take futile shots from distance.
Bafana’s defence also shifted as a unit so much so that as the Carthage Eagles looked to penetrate through Modiba’s left-back side, centre backs Mvala and Kekana provided cover at times.
There was also a timely backheel clearance from Mudau in the first half after Jaziri had launched a delightful cross across the face of goal.
But on the backfoot as they were in the opening stages, Bafana had the clearest chance to find the lead — thanks to some brilliant footwork from Tau.
The African Interclub Player of Year took on the Carthage Eagles’ players with his trickery and pace as he danced his way into the box before finding Evidence Makgopa with a cut-back.
The Bafana No 9 did well to connect with the ball in and air and turn his header towards goal but that didn’t yield dividends as he hit the side-netting instead.
Bafana’s all familiar back-four was altered at half-time, though, with Mudau, who had sustained a nasty knock in the first half, replaced by Nyiko Mobbie.
An unpopular figure to many a Bafana fan, Mobbie looked to play into the hands of his detractors as Ali Al-Abdi whipped in some dangerous — yet wasted crosses — from his end.
Bafana tried to turn the tide midway through the second half, with Themba Zwane marshalling some ball-playing movements from the South Africans.
Bafana were rotating the ball around with ease, while the introduction of Thapelo Maseko, who had scored the winner against the Brave Warriors, provided some speed up front.
But that didn’t bear fruit. Instead, it was a long-range effort from midfielder Sphephelo Sithole that forced goalkeeper Bechir Said into a save.
Teboho Mokoena and Tau also had their shots at goals from distance, but they too couldn’t find the breakthrough, while Makgopa header, from a resultant corner, was parried away by Said as the game ended in a stalemate.
IOL Sport