Nelspruit: It just keeps getting better, doesn’t it? If the recent qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations finals helped Bafana Bafana win back some continental respect, this Mandela Challenge victory over the Elephants the Mbombela Stadium told the story of a bright future that lies ahead.
Granted, it might be a bit premature to suggest you start saving up for Russia 2018. But at this rate there’s every good reason to believe Shakes Mashaba can lead Bafana to World Cup qualification.
Deprived of his first-choice players due this match not falling on an official Fifa weekend, Mashaba cobbled up a squad that most felt wasn’t worthy of the national team jersey.
But the second-stringers did the country proud. Not only did they win this match, but they did so playing with a youthful exuberance and enthusiasm that would have had many proclaiming “this is what South African football is all about”.
The regulars who were key in the qualifiers must no doubt be sitting uneasy in the knowledge that this lot have left the coach with a slight selection headache ahead of the trip to Eqautorial Guinea in the new year.
That they only won 2-0 was largely due to that good old local problem of a lack of killer instinct, as Bafana fluffed a number of chances that could have seen them hammer the Elephants.
It was in the way they confidently knocked the ball about that they truly impressed, with Bongani Zungu playing the role of both conductor and soloists of Bafana’s fluid passing game. They played short one-twos to open up the opposition defence, and mixed it up with long balls when the situation demanded to the delight of the little over 20 000 crowd.
When they scored, it was largely through their persistent play that had been so lacking in the squad in the previous years – the youngsters hardly looking intimidated by their much stronger opposition.
Zungu slotted in the opener with a simple tap in after some slick interchange of passes involving no less than four Bafana players.
Once ahead, they seemed to grow in confidence and another combination, this time between Themba Zwane and Patrick Phungwayo nearly ended with the second goal, but the former shot wide.
Just before the break Zungu also fluffed an opportunity for a second, failing to beat the goalkeeper after Puleng Tlolane had threaded him a perfect through ball.
The Ivorians almost equalised on 45 minutes, but Phungwayo thwarted their move by hoofing the ball out of the box in intercepting a dangerous pass.
David Zulu made it 2-0 with an easy tap after the visitors’ goalkeeper had collided with Vuyisile Wana having left his line to try and clear danger.
In the 77th minute, Santos star Fagrie Lakay also became South Africa’s youngest ever international at 17 years and 183 days old. He broke Ajax defender Rivaldo Coetzee’s record, which stood for just over a month.
So, in the end, it was the bunch of unknowns prancing about the field with medals in their hands and the Nelson Mandela Challenge trophy aloft, with Mashaba no doubt sitting with a nice headache as he contemplates his squad for Afcon. - Cape Times