How Baxter’s Bafana heroes rated against Burkina Faso

Bafana Bafana dragged themselves back into contention to qualify for the 2018 Fifa World Cup with a 3-1 victory over Burkina Faso on Saturday. Jonty

Mark rates the performance of the Bafana players.

Itumeleng Khune 8 – Khune shone in an attacking sense in the first half at FNB Stadium, playing key passes to Andile Jali and Percy Tau for Bafana’s second and third goals. He made good saves from Alain Traore and Bertrand Traore in the second half too, and could do little about Traore’s goal from a freekick.

Thamsanqa Mkhize 6 – Given a baptism of fire at rightback, Mkhize was caught out of position on several occasions in the first half, but the Cape Town City fullback did improve as the game went on.

Clayton Daniels 7 – Gave an assured performance in the heart of defence alongside his SuperSport team-mate Morgan Gould.

Morgan Gould 7 – Gould’s performance endorsed Stuart Baxter’s decision to give the veteran defender another chance. His experience alongside Daniels ensured that injured captain Thulani Hlatshwayo was not really missed.

Sifiso Hlanti 8 – Hlanti did well to keep Burkina Faso’s main attacking threat, Bertrand Traore, fairly quiet. The Bidvest Wits defender also pressed well up the pitch and it is from his long throw that Bafana scored after just 48 seconds.

Themba Zwane 8 – Zwane was a constant attacking threat and capped his performance with a coolly-taken second goal, taking his time before beating Herve Koffi at his near post. He was generally excellent.

Kamohelo Mokotjo 6 – Mokotjo produced some neat passing, but was not really involved enough and was not as combative as the likes of Dean Furman and Andile Jali.

Bongani Zungu 5 – Zungu also failed to impose himself on the game, though he did do a slightly better job than Mokotjo in terms of battling for possession in central midfield. Was a bit unlucky to be sent off for retaliation in the second half, after clearly being the victim of a vicious elbow from Alain Traore.

Sibusiso Vilakazi 8 – Vilakazi was another to have an excellent game in the Bafana attack, timing his run superbly to latch onto Percy Tau’s pass to net Bafana’s third goal on the stroke of half time. Thoroughly justified his selection ahead of Keagan Dolly.

Andile Jali 9 – Jali excelled behind Tau, whether on the front foot or running back to help out the defence, His sublime through ball set up Zwane’s goal, and he will be missed in Polokwane against Senegal, after a yellow card on Saturday means he is suspended.

Percy Tau 9 – Man-of-theMatch. Tau led the line superbly for Bafana on Saturday, from the moment his header found the back of the net after just 48 seconds. Tau never stopped running at the Burkinabe defence and also produced a quite brilliant assist for Vilakazi’s goal.

Hlompho Kekana 6 – Came on for Jali after 70 minutes to shore up the Bafana defensive midfield after Zungu was sent off.

Lebo Manyama – Came on for Vilakazi after 81 minutes. Not on long enough to be rated.

Dino Ndlovu – Came on for Tau after 86 minutes. Not on long enough to be rated.