Bafana Bafana midfielder Bathusi Aubaas has described the team’s rather underwhelming Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) campaign as a “learning curve”.
He suggested that missing chances was their main undoing when they lost 2-1 to Cameroon to crash out of the ongoing tournament in the round of 16 in Morocco on Sunday.
“It was a learning curve; we picked up some valuable lessons... we created many chances, but we didn’t convert them. But they [Cameroon] got just two chances and they converted both of them. In future, we have to convert our chances if we want to go further,” Aubaas said when Bafana landed at OR Tambo International Airport on Wednesday.
Despite the disappointment of losing, the Mamelodi Sundowns midfield workhorse feels the team gave their all and vowed they would do better in the future. Bafana won bronze at the previous Afcon in Ivory Coast in 2024, raising hopes that they’d be one of the best teams in Morocco for the 2025/26 tournament.
“I think the boys fought really hard, but this is obviously not what we wanted as a country. I think we can do better next time,” Aubaas said.
“We are very disappointed about being knocked out in the round of 16. We wanted to go further, but it was not meant to be. I’d like to thank everyone who was behind us throughout our campaign.”
Bafana are expected to play a few friendlies in March to gear up for the upcoming Fifa World Cup, to be co-hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19. SA are in Group A alongside hosts Mexico, South Korea and the winner of the European playoff between Denmark vs North Macedonia and Czech Republic vs Ireland (with the two winners playing for the final spot).
Sowetan
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