Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Yanga Sibembe
Published on 2024-03-22 12:25:20
Earlier this year, the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) witnessed a number of surprising results that highlighted the unpredictable nature of football matches, regardless of world rankings. One such unexpected outcome occurred when Bafana Bafana faced off against Andorra in a friendly match and were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw.
The debutant Elias Mokwana from Sekhukhune United made an immediate impact by scoring on his international debut to help South Africa salvage a draw. This was after goalkeeper Ricardo Goss, standing in for the rested Ronwen Williams, made a crucial error early in the game, allowing Andorra’s Ricard Fernández to score the opening goal. Mokwana equalized with a well-taken goal midway through the first half, but despite dominating possession and creating numerous opportunities, Bafana Bafana failed to find the winning goal.
On the other hand, Andorra, ranked 168th in the world, ended a five-game losing streak and scored their first goal since June 2023 in the match held in Algeria. The game was organized by Fifa as part of a series of matches to promote international friendlies and encourage teams from different confederations to compete against each other.
Following their impressive performance at the Afcon where they won a bronze medal, South Africa entered the match against Andorra with confidence in securing a morale-boosting victory. However, their inability to convert chances into goals was evident, leading to a disappointing draw. Head coach Hugo Broos expressed his frustration at the team’s lack of a clinical finisher and emphasized the need for a more aggressive and quality approach in front of goal.
Despite the external pressure to include Khanyisa Mayo, a striker from Cape Town City, in the national team, Broos eventually called him up for the match against Andorra. Mayo, one of the top scorers in the current DStv Premiership campaign, failed to make a significant impact in the game, missing an opportunity to showcase his goal-scoring abilities.
Due to the late arrival of key Mamelodi Sundowns players who participated in a concurrent match, Broos had to rely on debutants like Mokwana, Tapelo Xoki, and Patrick Maswanganyi from Orlando Pirates. The coach acknowledged the team’s below-par performance but highlighted the positive aspects of some players in the squad.
Looking ahead, Bafana Bafana will face Algeria in their upcoming match, where Broos is expected to field a lineup consisting of more experienced and proven players to avoid a repeat of the lackluster performance against Andorra. The coach expressed his satisfaction with the overall performance of the new team but emphasized the need for improvement in finishing chances to secure victories in future matches.
In conclusion, the draw against Andorra served as a learning experience for South Africa, highlighting the importance of converting opportunities into goals and the need for a clinical finisher in the team. The upcoming match against Algeria will provide another test for Bafana Bafana to showcase their quality and bounce back from the disappointing result.
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