NAILBITER ON THE CARDS
AFCON: BAFANA NEED TO SHOW THE SAME GRIT THEY DID AGAINST NAMIBIA Tunisians stand between them and a place in the last-16 of the continental showpiece.
This Africa Cup of Nations of shock results has helped Bafana Bafana’s quest to qualify for the knockout rounds, but they still face a nail-biting final Group E match against Tunisia at the Stade Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium in Korhogo this evening (kick-off: 7pm SA time).
The stunning capitulation of Ivory Coast at the hands of Equatorial Guinea and the amazing comeback by Mozambique against Ghana on Monday left Bafana in an excellent position, in the event that they finish third in their group.
Four of the six-best third place finishers in the group stages will make it to the last-16.
However, there remains a possibility that Hugo Broos’ side could finish bottom of their group and automatically exit the competition.
If Tunisia beat Bafana this evening, and Mali fail to beat Namibia, then Bafana will be out, and the optimism garnered from Sunday’s 4-0 hammering of Namibia will disappear as quickly as it arrived.
Mali will be heavy favourites to beat the Brave Warriors, of course, especially after Namibia’s demolition at the hands of Bafana. But again this Nations Cup has no room for favourites, as Namibia showed in beating Tunisia in their opening Group E match.
Worrying about the result in the Namibia-Mali match, which kicks off at the same time today, will be something Broos’ team will want to avoid, and a point or better against Tunisia will guarantee them a spot in the last-16.
Bafana can take plenty of confidence into this game, on the back of their performance against Namibia, after which Broos praised his side for playing in an ‘unSouth African’ way.
“Maybe today was not the football of South Africa,” said Broos.
“We are a team who likes to play football, sometimes in the most difficult moments. I think the boys learned their lesson (from the opening 2-0 defeat to Mali).
“We had a debriefing two days after the (Mali) game and we showed them the things we didn’t have to do any more. What is wrong with kicking the ball in front, even when there is nobody (there), when you are in trouble?
“That is what we did (against Namibia). Maybe our football was more realistic.
“And I’m happy that we know it doesn’t always have to be nice football with good combinations. Sometimes you have to fight for it.”
Bafana may well need to show their grit again against a Tunisia side that simply has to win to make it into the next round, after picking up just one point from their opening two Group E matches.