Jordaan has high hopes of a Bafana comeback

DANNY Jordaan is dreaming of a turnaround year for South African football in 2016.

After watching Bafana Bafana wrap up progression to the group stage of qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup with a 1-0 (4-1 aggregate) victory in Durban on Tuesday, the Safa president said he believes the national team even have a slim chance of rescuing their 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

“I think this win will lift the team,” Jordaan said.

“When Bafana were struggling this year we arranged that tour to Central America. When the squad live and travel together, they consolidate.

“We saw the benefits of that against Angola. Now I think there will be a renewed spirit and energy in a very crucial leg in the Afcon.”

Signs have been there of a stuttering emergence from a slump with Orlando Pirates reaching the 2013 Caf Champions League final, and Bafana qualifying for their first major tournament since 2008 — this year’s Nations Cup. Jordaan believes a reversal in fortune might be imminent for SA football.

Pirates are into a second continental final in three years, currently contesting the Confederation Cup against Etoile Du Sahel. SA’s under-23s compete in the Caf U-23 Championships in Senegal from Saturday.

“If our under-23s finish in the top three to qualify for the Rio Olympics, Pirates take the Confed, and Bafana qualify for the World Cup, SA football will have moved onto a higher plane,” Jordaan said.

Bafana midfielder Bongani Zungu said it was encouraging that SA beat Angola convincingly, while Nigeria (2-0 against Swaziland), Ghana (2-0 against Comoros) and Egypt (4-1 over Chad), struggled past small sides.

“It shows us that if we’re given someone like Ghana, we have the ability to pull through,” he said.

“Every win we get helps our confidence. We’re still building for 2018. We have a very young team, quality in all the positions, and we’re getting there.

“We’ve got [Kamohelo] Mokotjo. He hasn’t really got a run yet, but trust me he has a lot to offer.”

The midfielder said progression in the World Cup in no way made Bafana give up on Afcon. If anything, it had spurred the team’s confidence to try to beat Cameroon twice in late March — probably the only way Bafana can rescue their campaign.

“Our focus is on the Afcon and World Cup. We’re young, we’ve got energy, I see us playing any time, anywhere with the same tempo with the young guys we have. We can beat Cameroon.”