Bafana Bafana and Banyana Banyana have really given South Africans something to smile about in recent times. Both the SA senior national teams have created a lot of buzz and this is something that has been missing from SA football over the last couple of years.
After the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations last year, Banyana are on the verge of taking on the world when they participate in their second successive Fifa World Cup this month. On July 23, Banyana will open their campaign against Sweden in New Zealand.
Bafana, who had become a laughing stock in the SA sporting circles, also qualified for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) that will take place in the Ivory Coast in January.
Bafana, the former African champions who won the tournament in 1996, have been facing a serious decline. They have struggled to make an impression in the many Afcons they have taken part since the glory days. The best they have done was getting a bronze medal at the 2000 edition in Ghana-Nigeria. They last played Afcon football in 2019 in Egypt because they failed to qualify for last year’s competition organised by Cameroon.
But as of late, since Hugo Broos took over, the South Africans are experiencing a bit of a revival. They added a feather to their cap when they recently defeated World Cup semifinalists Morocco 2-1 at the FNB Stadium. They also had a brave 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifying campaign, where they fell at the penultimate stage in heartbreaking fashion at the hands of Ghana in Cape Coast.
Safa president Danny Jordaan must be shuffling with a spring in his step nowadays. He is content with the national teams and he now wants to bring the 2027 Women’s World Cup on South African soil. He’s been down that path when he was instrumental in bringing the 2010 World Cup to Mzansi, the first Fifa World Cup held on the African continent.
To be quite honest, it is not only on the national team front that there is promise and hope. Things are looking up for Orlando Pirates under coach Jose Riveiro and they will be lining up alongside comrades and compatriots Mamelodi Sundowns in the CAF Champions League in the coming season. With a two-pronged onslaught from the Brazilians and the Buccaneers, the South Africans have a better chance of dethroning the all-dominating north Africans Wydad AC and Al Ahly.
Although Pirates are a little inexperienced on this front, they have assembled an exciting team that is brimming with talented and ambitious players.
Spanish coach Riveiro is also eager to make an impression, so he will want to continue and sail with the Buccaneers’ ship in the deepest waters.
Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena knows he does not have as many chances left to win the CAF Champions League. The Sundowns bosses have been
giving the technical team a bottomless cheque book to acquire the best players available.
Across town in Naturena, Kaizer Chiefs stunned the entire Mzansi when they announced Molefi Ntseki as their new sheriff. Fans have been up in arms and most do not seem to agree with the bosses’ choice – they wanted someone with a proven track record. Either way you look at it, fans cannot wait for what seems is going to be a “fantabulous season”.
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