Bafana make easy task difficult

Oh, to be a Bafana Bafana supporter. Having demolished the Seychelles 6-0 on home soil at the weekend, head coach Stuart Baxter’s men frustratingly couldn’t find the back of the net just three days later in the away fixture against the same opponents as they played out to a goalless draw on Tuesday night.

South Africa missed countless chances in front of goal and failed to convert heaps of territory and possession into something concrete as they battled to find their rhythm on the artificial surface in Victoria.

The result leaves Bafana’s chances of qualifying for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon in the balance. They dropped to second place in Group E of qualifying – one point behind Nigeria, who have now won three in a row. Libya, with four points, and Seychelles, with one, follow suit. The top two teams in each group qualify for the continental tournament.

Dropping two points against the islanders means they will feel plenty of pressure in their remaining fixtures – next month against the Super Eagles of Nigeria at home and Libya away, in March 2019.

Lack of consistency has dogged Bafana in the past. If Baxter can fix this, half the battle will be won.