How SA ended years of World Cup hurt

After years of disappointment, it has taken 10 fixtures over two years in Group C for Bafana Bafana to finally qualify for the Fifa World Cup. We look at how they did it:

Multiple scorers

Bafana had 12 different scorers throughout their qualification campaign. Thapelo Morena, Lyle Foster, Jayden Adams and Oswin Appollis managed two goals apiece, while Percy Tau, Themba Zwane, Iqraam Rayners, Khuliso Mudau, Mohau Nkota, Relebohile Mofokeng, Thalente Mbatha and Evidence Makgopa also registered their names on the scoreboard.

Playing away games on home soil 

As neighbours and Group C opponents, Lesotho and Zimbabwe don’t have Fifa-accredited stadiums, Bafana had to play them in SA for their home matches, collecting four points from a possible six. Likuena hosted Bafana at Free State Stadium, while the Warriors welcomed Hugo Broos’s men to Moses Mabhida Stadium, with SA managing a 2-0 win and a goalless draw, respectively. Bafana also faced Benin in Abidjan in March, beating them 2-0 at that neutral venue.

Solid foundation from Afcon showing

Bafana have been together for the past four years, and did well at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, where they won bronze and forged more synergy within the squad. Bafana hardly lost a game since returning from Afcon and their exploits in Ivory Coast also won them the hearts of South Africans, who rewarded them by filling up stadiums.

Wider pool of players

Bafana hardly had a consistent XI throughout their qualification campaign due to injuries and loss of form. From the starting team of Bafana’s first game, a 2-1 win over Benin at Moses Mabhida Stadium in November 2023, several players like Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Mothobi Mvala, Tau, Zwane and Makgopa went on to miss a large chunk of fixtures. But new players like Nkota, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Khulumani Ndamane and Sipho Mbule stepped up to secure the ticket to next year’s World Cup in North America.

Sowetan