Bafana mission

HE RELIEF we saw after the SA national soccer team lost 1-0 to Brazil in their backyard last Friday reflects the level to which our soccer has descended. After failing to qualify for the 2012 African Cup of Nations, many expected Bafana Bafana to emerge from the Sao Paulo cauldron with a heavy loss. Under the circumstances, losing by a single goal was an achievement.

Soccer fundis say the recent appointment of Gordon Igesund as coach represents a glimmer of hope for a team that was once ranked among the world Top 20, but are now not even in the Top 50.

On Tuesday night we saw some flashes of brilliance as our boys subdued neighbours Mozambique 2-0 in a friendly in Nelspruit.

Yes, Mozambique are hardly world beaters. And yes, they missed a number of their top players who featured in their weekend game in which they humiliated Morocco 2-0. But Bafana’s performance was a vast improvement on their recent games under coach Pitso Mosimane when they played to many draws even against weak opponents.

But for Igesund and his boys, there is still much to do. SA will host the 2013 Afcon tournament in January – only four months from now.

We hope the disgrace of Bafana exiting in the early rounds, as seen in the 2010 World Cup, won’t be repeated when we host Africa’s best teams.

T