Rankings
Caf: 21
Fifa: 84
Just as it was the case ahead of South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 Fifa World Cup, Bafana Bafana have the odds stacked against them going into the 2013 Afcon tournament as hosts.
Since the team won the tournament in their first-ever participation in the competition in 1996 on home soil, their performance on the international stage has spiralled downward. They lost in the 1998 edition of the tournament and got knocked out in the semifinals in 2002 episode. Hoping for a better performance, things exacerbated for them in 2002 when they were failed to go beyond the Quarterfinals stages of the tournament, two years before they would be knocked out of the group stages in 2004.
In 2006, they experience their worst performance in the bi-yearly continental soccer spectacle when they failed to score a single goal in the tournament. Two years later, in 2008, they still failed to go beyond the group stages of the tournament.
The team reached its all-time low when they failed to qualify for the 2010 and 2012 Afcon tournaments. They qualified for the 2013 edition by virtue of being hosts. But their preparations for the tournament has been far from impressive and while the expectations weighing in on the team’s head coach, Gordon Igesund is to win the tournament, it seems a bit too much is expected from the former Moroka Swallows mentor.
Full squad: Goalkeepers: Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs), Senzo Meyiwa (Orlando Pirates), Wayne Sandilands (Mamelodi Sundowns) Defenders: Siboniso Gaxa (Kaizer Chiefs), Bongani Khumalo (PAOK Salonika), Tsepo Masilela (Kaizer Chiefs), Thabo Matlaba (Orlando Pirates), Anele Ngcongca (Racing Genk), Thabo Nthethe (Bloemfontein Celtic), Siyabonga Sangweni (Orlando Pirates) Midfielders: Lerato Chabangu (Moroka Swallows), Kagisho Dikgacoi (Crystal Palace), Dean Furman (Oldham Athletic), Reneilwe Letsholonyane (Kaizer Chiefs), May Mahlangu (Helsingborg), Oupa Manyisa (Orlando Pirates), Thuso Phala (Platinum Stars), Thulani Serero (Ajax Amsterdam), Siphiwe Tshabalala (Kaizer Chiefs) Forwards: Lehlohonolo Majoro (Kaizer Chiefs), Katlego Mphela (Mamelodi Sundowns), Tokelo Rantie (Malmo FF), Bernard Parker (Kaizer Chiefs).
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