The irony was clearly lost on Shakes Mashaba that it was the opposition – and not his own team – he was describing.
At OR Tambo International Airport yesterday, following their return from Mauritania where they were hammered 3-1 on Saturday night, South Africa’s senior national team coach was asked for his thoughts on their conquerors.
“They work as a team; they are committed; they are passionate; they show they want to play; they have two or three players who are very good,” Mashaba unflinchingly responded.
To which he should have perhaps added: “That’s why they whipped us”.
Instead, the Bafana Bafana coach had preceded his statement with a shocking assertion that his team is better than the north west African side.
“Truly speaking, to me they are not a team to beat us. Yes, they beat us convincingly but on a day when our boys were right, they are not a team to beat us.”
Well, that day was definitely not Saturday and for the coach to even venture there, was perhaps an indication that he does not really understand the calamity of Saturday’s result.
The loss to a team ranked 42 places behind us in the Fifa world rankings has turned qualification for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations into a Herculean task.
But, of course, the coach believes Bafana can still be among the 16 nations that will contest the biennial, continental showpiece in Gabon – their propping up the Group M table with a single point from two matches (before Gambia played Cameroon late yesterday), notwithstanding.
“This was a must win for us and we were looking at winning it. But everything is not lost. We still have another four games, which puts more pressure on us, and we have to make it a point we snatch the maximum points.”
That will require Bafana to avenge Saturday’s defeat when Mauritania come to visit and put Cameroon to the sword here at home, too.
As if that was not much to ask of a team that resembled a bunch of sissies– although the coach, incredibly, seemed to believe Bafana left it all on the pitch of the Olympic Stadium in Nouakchott – they then also have to go to Cameroon and Gambia and win there.
Granted, Mashaba believes his team plays better away, but having failed to score against Gambia when they hosted them, it is hard to see them bringing home maximum points from Banjul. As for beating the Indomitable Lions in their own backyard, that would be a historic moment in the continental game – Cameroon being the only nation of Caf’s 54 member associations never to have lost an Afcon qualifier at home.
“It’s a 50-50. We’re still in with a good chance – four games to go which is 12 points.
“We need to work hard and snatch those,” Mashaba said.
There’s a lot of time, however, before their next Afcon qualifier with no less than four clashes against Angola – home and away qualification ties for both the African Nations Championships and World Cup preliminary – to come.
Anything less than success there, particularly in the World Cup matches, and it is debatable as to whether Mashaba will be in charge for Matchday Three and Four during the week-long Fifa dates when they will play back-to-back clashes against Cameroon on March 23 to 29 next year. - The Star