What a bunch of winners! And what a difference four months under a new coach has made for Bafana Bafana.
The national football team was the toast of the Twittersphere after drawing to Nigeria away last night, completing an undefeated campaign to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations.
As thousands of fans took to social media to hail coach Shakes Mashaba – #shakesmashaba – as saviour of the national football team, Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula chipped in with a chirp at his own expense.
He tweeted: “We are a proud nation, our people deserve to be happy. Well done Bafana Bafana – bunch of winners.”
In January, after Bafana’s exit from the African Nations Championship, on the back of a 3-1 home defeat to Nigeria, Mbalula called the team a “useless bunch of losers” who have “disgraced the country”.
Now it’s arch-rivals Nigeria who are in disgrace, having failed to qualify to defend their crown in Equatorial Guinea in January.
It is the first time in six years that Bafana Bafana have qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations, having participated in the past competition by default as hosts.
Although South Africa squandered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2, they have qualified in the campaign with some style, playing with flair, grit and heart – scoring nine goals in six games, conceding just three goals in the process.
All this with the “cheapest coach” and an inexperienced group of players.
Political analyst Justice Malala suggested the Economic Freedom Fighters could make capital from the team’s performance.
He tweeted: “#BafanaBafana are doing so well the #EFF should put them on the list of assets to be nationalised. And someone give #BraShakes a whisky!”
Twitter user Mthetho Tshemese, using @VillageShrink, tweeted: “I think I’d take the non-tactician Shakes Mashaba anyday. With his non-tactician approach he’s achieved so much (more) than tacticians”.
Twitter user @Matt_Damn_G hoped Mashaba would learn to park the bus – a reference to the two-goal gap that was thwarted by the Nigerians.
“Safa must organise a trip for Shakes Mashaba to go see Jose Mourinho.”
Finally, @lulu_luwela summed up the end of another good night for Bafana: “Now Nigeria wishes they’d agreed to host the Afcon.” - Daily News