BAFANA READY FOR AFCON TASK?

It’s been almost 3 years since the SAFA NEC announced Hugo Broos as the 19^th Head Coach of Bafana Bafana over a Zoom call at the SABC Auditorium, in a hurried effort to find a suitable replacement for the interim failed regime of Molefi Ntseki.

With a minimal yet successful stint in the realms of international football, Broos touted over SAFA’s candidates for the head coaching role, getting the nod over Bafana legend, Benni McCarthy and Former Real Madrid and Bafana Coach, Carlos Queiroz.

May 2024 will mark 3 years of Broos’ appointment as the national team coach with 2 more years remaining on his 5-year deal with SAFA, a deal which aimed at rebuilding the national team with young players and putting an eye on the 2024 AFCON tournament.

But are Bafana Bafana ready to compete?

Upon the arrival of the Belgian veteran, Molefi Ntseki’s Bafana side had just succumbed to an embarrassing 2-0 defeat to the current 128^th world ranked side, Sudan, which ultimately sealed any chance of Bafana qualifying for the 2021 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Broos wasted no time in getting rid of national team players who were aged over 30. The likes of Andile Jali weren’t included in the national team set up along with players who were omitted such as Sifiso Hlanti, Itumeleng Khune  and Themba Zwane, who would eventually dance his way to being an asset in Broos’ side. Broos opted for a younger and more agile squad with players who were hungry for success.

Headed by Captain Ronwen Williams, Broos built a team around trust and showing loyalty to the young players who were performing well at their clubs.

The new-look Bafana’s first task was against Uganda, an encounter which saw the likes of a young Evidence Makgopa make a name for himself in national colours with a brace at the Orlando Stadium, a theatre he would soon call home. Fast forward to 23 games in-charge of Bafana, Hugo Broos has managed a record of 12 wins, 7 draws and only 4 defeats.

With two of those wins coming up against some of Africa’s Powerhouses in Morocco and Ghana, it could be considered naive to write off Bafana Bafana in the upcoming edition of the African showpiece.

Bafana Bafana who are ranked 12^th in the CAF rankings, will be seeded in Group E amongst Mali (9^th), Tunisia (3^rd) and friendly neighbours, Namibia who are ranked 27^th on the African Continent. A tough group indeed, but one that Bafana can slither through if history is anything to go by. Every Football fan should know that history has a way of repeating itself in the beautiful game.

The four times Bafana played Tunisia in any AFCON competition, Bafana won two of those encounters, losing the other two. However, South Africa’s last two encounters against Mali have ended in wins for Bafana while Namibia haven’t beaten Bafana in their last 7 meetings.  

With that said, all of Bafana’s group fixtures are against African nations that are also continuing to rise with numerous players for both Mali and Tunisia plying their trade in some of Europe’s biggest leagues, while South Africa’s flag has been raised high on the continent by Mamelodi Sundowns, who have 10 players forming part of Hugo Broos’ squad.

It won’t be an easy task for Bafana Bafana, but a great performance for them on their opening day against Mali, could set the tone for an exciting journey for South Africa at the 2024 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations.

The tournament starts on 13 January 2023 and the final will take place on the 11^th of February 2024.