Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter has expressed his disappointment in the nil-all draw against the Seychelles in a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Victoria on Tuesday.
He has raised concerns about the officiating and the playing surface which he says contributed to the outcome of the encounter.
Bafana Bafana are second in group E on eight points with two matches remaining, needing three more points to secure qualification for the Cameroon tournament.
Following the 6-0 drubbing of the Seychelles in Johannesburg, it was expected that Bafana Bafana would be on cruise mode in Victoria. Instead they stumbled.
Baxter felt slightly hard done by because under different conditions, his side could have pulled off a win.
“We still did enough to win the game but a combination of the pitch and some unbelievable time wasting and cheating by the opponents and very poor refereeing performance; and us not taking advantage of the chances we created. I think that’s how you know you can get that result.”
The coach selected 25 players for the back to back fixtures. He justified his selection in the return leg which was questionable – with just one change from the match at the FNB Stadium.
“We were looking at the way we were playing and we were creating chances constantly; and looking at the bench the way they were playing they were playing with lots of bodies there. It was not a game to put on a Lorch or a Phakamani with their speed because there was no space to use that speed.”
A win would have almost guaranteed qualification for South Africa. They now have to push even harder in the remaining two matches of the qualifiers, against Nigeria and Libya respectively.
Bafana Bafana Captain, Thulani Hlatswayo says, “Nigeria won last night they are top of the group now and we are playing them next. It’s a different Nigeria compared to the one we played away. So we are aware of the challenges upon us. And as a team, we have to do it ourselves which we have to do it against Nigeria.”
Despite the result, all hope is not lost.
“We as South Africans, we have to rally behind them, give them the support that they want. I mean if we played Nigeria and beat them away why can’t we do it at home? We need to stay positive and support the boys,” Bidvest Wits player, Vuyo Mere.
Bafana Bafana will face Nigeria in November in their next qualifier match before wrapping up the campaign against Libya in March 2019.
