Baxter dishes up the excuses

Stuart Baxter offered several excuses after Bafana Bafana’s defeat to Senegal in Dakar on Tuesday and blamed his delayed appointment to the coaching seat as the reason for the national team’s failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

Senegal beat Bafana 2-1 to condemn Baxter’s team to bottom of their group with four points from six matches.

The Senegalese won the group, while Burkina Faso and modest Cape Verde finished second and third.

“Looking back, it has been a difficult campaign‚” Baxter said.

“When I came in, it was lastminute and the campaign was under way.

“The coaches that were here before did things in different ways and it takes time before you get your ideas across to the players,” he said.

“The fact that we had confusion surrounding the Senegal replay didn’t help in terms of the mental part of the game.

“Most of all‚ it has been a question of not taking our chances and turning over goals at vital times.”

Bafana beat Senegal 2-1 in Polokwane in November 2016, but the result was later annulled because it was found to have been manipulated by Ghanaian referee Joseph Lamptey.

SA lost the replay 2-0 in Polokwane last week.

Baxter presided over four defeats in five matches — Bafana beat Burkina Faso in his lone victory in the qualifiers — and in his desperate attempt to make sense of the disastrous campaign‚ the embattled coach also blamed his players for their failure to finish off opportunities.

“If we talk about results‚ I think the results weren’t disappointing at times.

“In most games, we showed that when we get the balance right between efficiency and flamboyance, we were a good team,” the coach said.

“The challenge we have is that we are not consistent enough and that goes back a long way and that is not something that I am going to be able to change in the 200-odd days I have been in charge.”

He added that Bafana had “started a journey‚ but we do have a way to go before we can be truly challenging for the top slots both on the continent and in the world”.

Baxter said: “I do think there are a lot of positives that have come through.

“The biggest is that against top opposition, we dominated in games for longer periods with the type of football that has been commended.

“The way we have in front of us is to make sure we are more consistent‚ we are more professional and we continue to develop the type of football that is a reflection of SA.”

SA completed their 2018 Fifa World Cup qualification campaign with another defeat — 2-1 — against Senegal in Dakar on Tuesday night. These are the player ratings from a fourth defeat in six qualifying games.

6 Itumeleng Khune: Without his protective mask‚ he had a mixed bag on the night.

He was caught out of position for the opening Senegalese goal as he needlessly rushed off his line‚ but could do nothing about the second.

It was his pinpoint distribution that put Themba Zwane away to set up Percy Tau for the equaliser though.

6 Thamsanqa Mkhize: Did not get forward as much as in his previous two appearances but that is perhaps understandable given the nature of the game. Looked hurried in possession at times. 5 Morgan Gould: Had looked fairly solid through the 90 minutes until he rather meekly attempted to head clear at the death‚ only to be beaten to the ball by Kara Mbodji.

Also missed a good chance to score in the first half when he spooned the ball over. 6 Clayton Daniels: Had to be strong against the big Senegalese forwards and for large parts of the match he kept them at bay. Might have reacted quicker to the danger for Opa N’Guette’s opener.

6 Sifiso Hanti: Flashed one free-kick just wide and looked a willing runner in his position at fullback.

6 Dean Furman: Was busy as always but did not quite stamp his authority on the middle of the park. Received a booking for a sloppy foul.

7 Bongani Zungu: Neat and tidy in possession‚ he used the ball well and covered a lot of ground to try to win possession for Bafana Bafana.

6 Themba Zwane: Won the penalty and then missed from 12 yards as he put the ball wide.

But he did set up the goal for Tau as he collected Khune’s pass and worked his Mamelodi Sundowns teammate into space.

Was replaced by Andile Jali after 71 minutes.

5 Keagan Dolly: Did not really do enough in the play maker position and faded in and out of the game. 6 Sibusiso Vilakazi: Had a few good moments with some link-up play but battled at times to find his passing range.

Was replaced by Lebogang Manyama after 84 minutes. 7 Percy Tau: Full of running and always a willing outlet up front‚ he was outmuscled at times but kept on harassing the Senegal backline and was rewarded with his goal. Substitutes

6 Andile Jali: Played the final 20 minutes and did okay as he tried to lift the tempo of the visitors’ play.