Bafana fail to break Nigeria bogey
Brad Morgan
8 September 2008
South Africa needed to beat Nigeria in Port Elizabeth on Saturday to retain any hope of qualifying for the 2010 African Nations Cup in Angola. Bafana Bafana had never beaten the Super Eagles, and that record remained intact as the visitors scored a somewhat fortunate 1-0 victory.
The win left the Nigerians with a maximum haul of 15 points from five qualifying matches. They are yet to concede a goal, although they can count themselves lucky that they escaped with the points at the EPRU Stadium because it was a game that South Africa dominated.
The play by the hosts between the two goal mouths was impressive, but the old bugbear, the team's finishing, cost Bafana once more, and this time around the penalty – missing out on Angola 2010 – was severe. South Africa's elimination was confirmed when Sierra Leone beat Equatorial Guinea to move six points clear of Bafana.
Unsteady performances
While the South African side could consider itself unlucky on Saturday, the fact of the matter is that Bafana missed out, not because they lost to Nigeria, but due to their unsteady performances in five matches.
Bafana coach Joel Santana deserves some sympathy because he landed the job at a time when he had little opportunity to prepare the side for its busiest period of the year, involving some of its toughest assignments.
Anyone expecting him to come in and immediately turn around the fortunes of a team that has been in a steady decline for a good number of years could be termed either a hopeless optimist or totally deluded.
Remaining match
South Africa's remaining group match is of academic importance only. They play away against Equatorial Guinea, whom they beat 4-1 in Pretoria for their only qualifying victory.
At least, after their encouraging showing against Nigeria, Santana's charges have the opportunity to build on a good, although unrewarded, effort.
Port Elizabeth's football fans turned out en masse for the clash against the Super Eagles, and a capacity crowd provided wholehearted, loud support for the home team.
Bafana Bafana responded by taking the fight to Nigeria and controlled almost the entire first half. While the Nigerians offered little on attack and in the midfield, their defence did, at least, hold firm.
First shot
Siyabonga Nkosi was the first to let rip with a shot on goal, but his effort passed wide of the mark, which required nothing of goalkeeper Dele Aiyenugba.
South Africa continued to create opportunities and Teko Modise, never afraid to shoot, was off target with two shots, while fellow midfielder Kagisho Dikgacoi also found his compass needed adjusting.
Ike Uche sounded a big warning to Bafana Bafana when he was put clear, but fired wildly over the top of the South African goals after 27 minutes.
Kalu Uche tested SA goalie Itumeleng Khune with a stinging drive and Khune was called into action to save a free kick from Taye Taiwo.
Benni McCarthy, the surprise choice as skipper in place of the suspended Aaron Mokoena, forced Nigerian keeper Aiyenugba into a stop, but his shot lacked power.
Halftime
Siyabonga Nkosi, who was bossing the midfield, was narrowly wide from a Bradley Carnell free kick just before the break, which the teams took tied at nil-nil.
After the restart, left wing Siphiwe Tshabalala failed to make contact with a testing cross from Nkosi. Nkosi then went close after Tshabalala turned supplier, with his shot passing just on the wrong side of the post.
Aiyenugba continued to be kept busy, but South Africa's shooting accuracy was woeful and they were made to pay in the 69th minute when Ike Uche scored the decisive goal.
Goal
Picking up a pass deep in Bafana territory, he broke inside and then shot through the legs of the covering defender which left goalkeeper Khune unsighted just long enough to beat him low to his right.
Nkosi continued to impress and Aiyenugba needed to be on top of his game to keep out a shot from the Arminia Bielefeld star with a quarter-of-an-hour remaining.
Coach Santana threw Sibusiso Zuma and Surprise Moriri into the fray in an effort to rescue something from the contest, but the Super Eagles held firm to take victory, leaving Bafana Bafana and the team's fans bitterly disappointed; the SA side deserved more out of a match that they had bossed from start to finish.
Santana was defiant in defeat. While admitting that the result was not good, he pointed out that South Africa had 16 shots on goal to Nigeria's paltry four.
'Happy' and 'annoyed'
He described himself as both "annoyed" and "happy" with the game – "annoyed" at the result, but "happy" with his team's effort and dominance.
Stand-in captain McCarthy was more forthright in his assessment of the loss, terming it "a huge disappointment, even a disaster."
Nonetheless, he felt Bafana Bafana outplayed the Super Eagles. The one thing he could not fathom was how the Nigerians had won.
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