Bafana must now build on Afcon success

When the senior men’s national soccer team, Bafana Bafana, left for Ivory Coast to start their Africa Cup of Nations campaign last month, not many of their compatriots held their breath — which was not surprising given the team’s past record. And before that, even the arrival of a new coach in the form of Belgian Hugo Broos three years ago was met with deep scepticism. Despite having led Cameroon to victory in the continental football showcase, there was doubt whether Bafana’s new mentor would succeed where his predecessors had failed.

By reaching the Afcon semifinals, Bafana Bafana confounded the doubting Thomases, proving that poor past performance is no deterrent to future success if there is commitment and the will to win. In the event, even the sceptics would have been pleasantly surprised by the team’s exploits.

Bafana may not have proceeded to the final but they gave a good account of themselves. They dispatched the continent’s top-ranked nation, Morocco, and forced their semifinal rivals, Nigeria, into a penalty shoot-out after the match ended in a hardfought draw.

Of course, the team now have a new challenge to conquer — qualifying for the Fifa World Cup in two years’ time in the Americas.

Having made their mark at Afcon, the challenge for the team, the South African Football Association and all who run the game is to ensure that the momentum is not lost. The Afcon campaign, which was surely a morale booster for the team, provides a good foundation on which to build in the quest for glory at football’s premier competition.

Rome, as the saying goes, was not built in a day.