The best & worst since ’96

TWENTY years after winning the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), South Africans supporting Bafana Bafana have probably had many prescriptions for antidepressants.

The national team has gone backwards. We look at the five best and worst moments since the 1996 triumph.

BEST MOMENTS

1. Phil Masinga’s thunderbolt:

It is a goal that’s not easy to forget. Masinga stole the ball from a Congolese player and what followed was a touch of sheer brilliance, as he unleashed a powerful shot which booked Bafana a spot at the 1998 Fifa World Cup in France. 2. Defeat to Brazil

Bafana may have lost to the Brazilians in 1996, but it was at that moment this fine group of players showed they can compete with some of the best. Bafana might have even won if Clive Barker had not taken off Doctor Khumalo. That’s when Brazil came from two goals down to win 3-2. 3. The introduction of Benni McCarthy

The introduction of McCarthy at the 1998 Africa Cup of Nations is definitely one of the finest moments. He went on to become Bafana’s leading scorer. 4. First World Cup win

It was not a pretty goal scored by Siyabonga Nomvethe against Slovenia, but it meant so much because it secured Bafana’s first win at a World Cup, in 2002 in Korea-Japan. 5. Siphiwe Tshabalala’s goal

One of Bafana’s most memorable goals was scored by Tshabalala, who gave Bafana the lead in their opening 2010 Fifa World Cup match against Mexico at home. Pity they could not hold on as it finished 1-1.

WORST MOMENTS

1. 2006 Afcon exit

It still does not make sense how Bafana did not score a goal in the tournament with McCarthy, Nomvethe and Sibusiso Zuma in the team. And the fact that they could not even get a point in the competition is worse. Embarrassing. 2. World Cup first-round exit

Bafana got into the history books for the wrong reasons. Hosts of the first Fifa World Cup in Africa in 2010, they were the first host nation knocked out in the first round. 3. Chan shocker

On a week he was fired by SuperSport United, Gordon Igesund would not want to be reminded about the 2014 African Nations Championship because it all but ended his reign. The fact that he could not progress to the knockout phase was a clear sign he was not the man for the job. 4. We qualified . . . no wait

They celebrated with a dance, but little did the players know that they did not qualify for the 2012 Afcon. Pitso Mosimane’s boys thought they had booked a spot at Afcon when they drew 0-0 with Sierra Leone at home in their final qualifying group game in 2011, but their opponents qualified instead because of better head-to-head results. 5. Mauritania embarrassment

Shakes Mashaba’s team went to Mauritania last year not knowing they would play on an artificial pitch. They went there with very little knowledge of their opponents. Even goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune had to Google them. Bafana were duly punished by the hosts, who ran out 3-1 winners.