Pitso Mosimane’s second tenure is officially up and running with a massive 2-1 win over Guinea in Bafana Bafana’s opening AFCON Qualifier.
Given the high stakes in Group D, Saturday’s match was vital to get a grip on things early. With Kenya guaranteed a spot as co-hosts for next year’s tournament, there is effectively just one other qualification spot up for grabs in the group.
How Pitso’s Bafana fared in his first assignment
If anyone expected ‘Jingles’ to completely rip up the playbook straight away, they were way off. Mosimane didn’t change much from Hugo Broos’ last lineup.
In fact, the only changes he made were forced purely by injuries. Mosimane kept the core stable and backed the group that have travelled this far together.
As far as the on-field performance went, the opening 45 minutes was really impressive for a team that just underwent a major coaching change.
Bafana controlled the tempo and put together some gorgeous link-up play. They were well on top, and truth be told, they played well enough to have scored more than just the one goal before the break.
The second stanza, however, saw Bafana instantly pinned back with their backs against the wall. When Guinea finally grabbed the equaliser, there were serious concerns that Bafana were about to crumble under the pressure.
Instead of folding though, Mosimane’s side showed serious character wrestling their way back into control. The substitutes he made brought fresh legs and Samukelo Kabini combining with Yanela Mbuthuma for the match winner was the cherry on the cake for Mosimane.
While it wasn’t exactly flawless, an opening victory against a Guinea team that had genuine quality all over the park is a rock-solid first result. Now, it’s on to the next one, with another crucial qualifier against Eritrea looming over the weekend.
Photo: Daniel Hlongwane/Gallo Images
