Bafana Bafana will need a sharp and decisive response when they face Cameroon tonight in their Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) last-16 clash in Rabat, after a group-stage campaign that raised more questions than confidence. Having done well to get to Morocco, the team’s performance has proved to be inconsistent at best. Apart from a spirited showing against Egypt, to whom they lost narrowly on a penalty, Bafana have looked anything but serious contenders for Africa’s premier football title.
After finishing third at the last continental showpiece in Ivory Coast two years ago and then qualifying for the World Cup late last year, Hugo Broos’s men led many to believe they possessed the ability to claim their first Afcon title since 1996. Certainly, in the process of rebuilding the team, Broos has instilled a new confidence and discipline among the players — attributes which will be sorely needed as the campaign unfolds. There is every reason to believe Bafana have it in them to go all the way to the final.
Among other things, the Bafana defence of the young Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Siyabonga Ngezana will have to be watertight against the Cameroonians, who can be deadly on their day. Counting in Bafana’s favour, however, is that they’ve had a week of uninterrupted preparations for tonight’s match. Broos will have his hands full to inspire the team with the same determination and self-confidence it showed in the build-up to the tournament and tonight’s showdown against the West Africans.
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