Almost there, Bafana
SA now need a point against Libya in March to qualify for Afcon 2019
● Bafana Bafana’s campaign to qualify for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon still hangs in the balance after they drew 1-1 with Nigeria in front of over 20,000 fans at FNB Stadium yesterday.
The result saw the Nigerians clinching their qualification having reached 10 points, while Bafana will now have to avoid defeat at all costs in a tricky do-or die away match against Libya in March if they are to join the Super Eagles in a 24-team tournament for the first time.
Bafana might rue chances they missed when they drew 0-0 away to Seychelles last month in a match that would have sealed a place in next year’s showpiece.
The Libyans are now on seven points and two points away from Bafana after they trashed the whipping boys Seychelles 8-1 in the Indian Ocean Island yesterday.
Bafana needed a victory against the Super Eagles, who posed no threat in this match until Bafana defender Buhle Mkhwanazi de- flected in Kalu Ojim’s cross for the opening goal in the ninth minute.
Baxter’s team did well to find an equaliser in the 25th minute with man-of-the-match Percy Tau’s trickery doing a trick on the slow Nigerian defenders before laying off an excellent assist to Lebo Mothiba to cancel the visitors’ lead.
Had Bafana not been as timid as they were with their attacks and touches on the ball they could have got more goals. Their interplay going forward was much too inconsistent to gain the needed momentum for more goals.
As expected, Nigeria had a sizeable crowd (almost 50%) and took half of the main grandstand on the south in a match billed as revenge after Tau and Tokelo Rantie’s goal saw Bafana winning 2-0 in the opening round in the 13th encounter between these nations in June last year.
Baxter was forced to make wholesome changes in his midfield with many regulars out injured.
But the change that Baxter made at right back, where Thamsanqa Mkhize was preferred to Ramahlwe Mphahlele, backfired as Mkhize had a shocker and looked nervous in the entire minutes he spent on the field.
Holland-based Thulani Serero, who returned from yet another self-imposed retireBy ment, was restored as a playmaker and joined by Mamelodi Sundowns trio of Themba Zwane in wide areas with Hlompho Kekana and Tiyani Mabunda manning the centre of the midfield.
With Serero missing in action, it was Zwane who provided the creative element in Bafana’s midfield, his link with Tau proving critical in creating Mothiba’s fourth goal in five matches in the Bafana shirt.
Serero huffed and puffed until Baxter realised in the 60th minute that the pint-sized midfielder was not as influential as he thought he might be and brought on Orlando Pirates’ exciting winger Thembinkosi Lorch.
As the game wore on the home crowd became more disillusioned with the Gambian referee Bakary Papa Gassama, who made a number of questionable calls when Bafana were desperately pushing for the winner against a Nigerian side that seemed content with a draw in the second half.
Bafana could have done with a better home crowd in this match but many stayed away mainly because of the inconsistency of the team.
People were just too afraid to go to the stadium and possibly experience another emotional roller coaster at the hands of a team that has not been convincing at all in this campaign.
With Serero missing in action, Zwane provided the creative element in Bafana’s midfield