BAFANA BABRONZE
Broos’ boys secure third place to wrap up amazing Afcon 2023 campaign
● An analysis of Bafana Bafana’s run at this Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) will reveal a team with two contrasting sides — the one capable of playing attractive football and the other with the knack to make things a little trickier than they should be.
South Africa ended their mixed bag Afcon tournament with a nervy 6-5 penalty shootout win over DR Congo to finish third, where captain Ronwen Williams sparkled again with two stunning saves to deny Chancel Mbemba and Meschack Lina.
Bafana scored through Nkosinathi Sibisi, Thabang Monare, Aubrey Modiba, Zakhele Lepasa, Oswin Appollis and Siyanda Xulu, while Teboho Mokoena hit the upright with the first kick.
During the week, Bafana coach Hugo Broos made it known that he was not in favour of this bronze medal that did not move into top gears possibly because players’ minds were already on the plane home.
Bafana deserve credit for reaching an Afcon semifinal stage for the first time in 24 years, and claiming the bronze medal and ending this tournament with a reasonable record of four wins, two losses and one draw.
They played some of their best football in the demolition of modest Namibia to settle in the tournament, and they were strangely impressive against Mali and Nigeria, even though they lost those matches.
Bafana also made the whole continent sit and take notice when they dumped overwhelming favourites Morocco out of the tournament in the last-16 with goals from Evidence Makgopa and Mokoena.
Despite having ended the tournament
without the ultimate prize, Broos will be satisfied that players like Williams, Mothobi Mvala, Grant Kekana, Sphephelo Sithole, Mokoena, Themba Zwane and Makgopa covered themselves in glory.
Afcon is done and dusted for Bafana and the attention for Broos turns to World Cup qualifiers, where Nigeria, who dumped South Africa out in the semifinal stage, awaits in June.
Bafana started World Cup qualifiers with a win over Benin but they followed up with a disappointing loss to Rwanda away from home in November, and they will have to be at their best to beat Nigeria, who are in the Afcon final against hosts Ivory Coast today.
As Broos’ journey continues with Bafana, it remains to be seen if he is going to increasingly show faith in younger players like Terrence Mashego, Jayden Adams, Makgopa and Appollis.
There are other highly promising young players like Lincoln Vyver, Ime Okon, Shandre Campbell and Relebohile Mofokeng who need senior international experience.
Going into this match, Broos made three forced changes, with Sibisi coming in for suspended Kekana, Thapelo Morena replacing Mvala and Mihlali Mayambela in for Percy Tau, who did not have a good tournament by his usually high standards.
The core of the team remained with Williams between the sticks, Sibisi joining Siyanda Xulu at central defence, Mokoena, Sithole and Zwane continuing their partnership in the heart of the midfield, and Makgopa as the lone striker.
Broos’ starting line-up was once again dominated by Mamelodi Sundowns players in the form of Williams, Khuliso Mudau, Aubrey Modiba, Morena, Mokoena and Zwane. Just before the hour mark, he introduced Appollis for Makgopa to taste his first tournament action, as he was the only remaining outfield player not to have played so far.
The most notable moment arrived after eight minutes when Williams was forced to move out of his area to thwart attacking Silas Katompa, who received a defence-splitting pass from the midfield.
The DRC suffered an injury blow just after the half-hour mark when influential midfielder Theo Bongonda wobbled off the field with what looked like a hamstring injury, and he was replaced by Meschack Lina.
In the closing stages of the match, the DRC missed numerous scoring chances, as Lina, Cedric Bakambu and Fiston Mayele as they looked for a late winner and the bronze medal but it was not to be.