Friendly loss no train smash

Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter had to be satisfied with the first week of his second spell as South Africa’s head coach, even though it ended in defeat on Tuesday night in a friendly against Zambia.

The loss to a severely-weakened Chipolopolo side in Rustenburg was sloppy, and snapped a run of 18 senior international matches without defeat. But the truth is that Bafana had already won the important game, the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Nigeria in Uyo last weekend.

“We showed in the second half that we can’t switch off, we have to keep doing the right things and when we don’t do that then, instead of being a threat to the opposition, we’re a threat to ourselves,” Baxter told the SABC after the Zambia match.

Bafana took a first half lead through Lebogang Manyama, but some shoddy defending allowed Zambia to score twice in seven minutes after the break and take the spoils.

“Today (Tuesday) was a game of two halves … and we’re obviously very disappointed,” Manyama told SABC.

“I think in the first half we were on top of them, we dominated them from all angles … we had to get the second goal but missed a couple of chances.

“But you cannot question the effort from the boys, and I think we did very well, considering a lot of us don’t have international experience.”

Baxter fielded an experimental side against Zambia, including giving Lorenzo Gordinho and Aubrey Ngoma their senior debuts, while Andile Jali was handed the captain’s armband.

Manyama had an excellent game, picking up the Man-of-theMatch award, but goalkeeper Ronwen Williams had an evening to forget, coming on as a second half substitute, and allowing Brian Mwila’s effort to beat him at the near post, before a mix-up between Williams and his defenders allowed Lubinda Mundia to bundle in the winner.

Baxter’s next task will be two 2018 World Cup qualifiers, in Praia against Cape Verde in late August, and at home to the same side in early September.

Today was a game of two halves … and we’re obviously very disappointed.

Lebogang Manyama Bafana midfielder