Mixed feelings about Bafana Bafana’s chances at Afcon in Ivory Coast

Former South African senior men’s national team players Mark Williams and Katlego Mashego have shared mixed feelings about Bafana Bafana’s chances at next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.

Coach Hugo Broos’s team qualified for the AFCON for the first time since 2019 with one game to spare in Group K after narrowly beating Liberia 2-1 in Monrovia on Tuesday.

Despite the achievement of booking their spot at the biennial competition, Bafana Bafana have to dig deep if they are to make a mark on the continental stage.

Mark Williams, who was an instrumental figure in the Bafana team that won the 1996 Afcon, is not convinced about their chances.

“There are lots of countries that just want to beat us, for them they had a draw against us and they looked like they won the Afcon Cup the first results. the second result yes we won but by just scraping through, so all I am saying is that we are celebrating because when last did we qualify, we have to  be honest with ourselves and ask ourselves, where are we competing with Senegal, Cameroon, Nigeria because that’s where I want to see us, don’t talk about Libya and Kenya I mean come on this for me was a daily bread.”

Mixed feelings about Bafana being through to AFCON

Katlego Mashego, who represented South Africa on 22 occasions, scoring twice in the process, has expressed different views to those of Williams. He believes there is hope for the team at the tournament.

“Once you go into a tournament you are just one of the teams so no one knows who is going to win the tournament, there are obviously some big teams and European stars, you never know in the tournament but it gives you a chance as long as you are there you are guaranteed to have a chance, you play three games in the group stages  and if you do well you might go all the way.”

Bafana Bafana coach, Hugo Broos, is confident his team will progress beyond the group stages at Afcon.

“I will say what I said in the beginning, you may kill me if we don’t go to Afcon, I think you may kill me if we don’t go through the stages in Afcon next year.” -Reporting by Vincent Sitsula