Ntseki ‘shirty’ about strikers

His latest effort was a gleaming white, with only a small amount of detail, as he oversaw South Africa’s first competitive win under his hand as head coach, a vital 1-0 victory over Sudan at Orlando Stadium in Sunday’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

“The shirt is white, and the future looks white,” grinned Ntseki in the press conference room after the match, offering no more explanation as to his choice of fashion for the game. The sound of this comment going straight over my head at the time may well have been audible, and I leave it to any reader who thinks they know what this means to please help me out. Still, Ntseki may well have found his “lucky” shirt, though he may also want to buy it for his Bafana attackers to wear under their jerseys, as they again mis-fired in front of goal in this Afcon qualifying week.

There was not a shot at the Ghanaian goal at the Cape Coast Stadium on Thursday, and on Sunday, South Africa missed plenty of chances before and after an unlikely source in Lebo Phiri smashed in the winner in the manner of a seasoned striker. It was, it must be said, a tactical masterstroke by Ntseki to play Phiri in such an advanced role, and it must have been particularly thrilling for the 25 year-old to make his competitive debut and score with his proud parents looking on from the stands.

Bafana can be happy with a three points that puts them right back into contention for qualification for Cameroon 2021, but they will certainly need to be more clinical against a higher quality of opposition than Sudan. It is not surprising that Ntseki was talking about strengthening his attacking arsenal ahead of Bafana’s next matches. His problem is really one all Bafana coaches have had since Benni McCarthy and Shaun Bartlett disappeared from view, though Katlego Mphela did sparkle for a while under Pitso Mosimane.

It is interesting that the Bafana head coach appears to have no interest in Lars Veldwijk, who Stuart Baxter took to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, talking instead of Preston North End’s Thomas Barkhuizen, a man having a good season in the Championship in England, but whose statistics do not exactly speak of a hugely prolific goalscorer.

Bafana, in the meantime, could also do with a prolific goalscorer from midfield, and if Phiri can somehow fit that bill in international football, what a bonus that would be for Bafana. Thulani Serero is another who flatters to deceive in that area, while Themba Zwane will no doubt return when fit, but age is not on the Mamelodi Sundowns 30 year-old’s side.

What is clear is that Ntseki does not see the Premier Soccer League as a breeding ground for strikers, though he did praise both Bradley Grobler and Kermit Erasmus for the contribution they made against Sudan after coming off the bench. Erasmus was certainly a threat but missed two sitters, while Grobler was flagged offside when he put the ball in the net. Lebo Mothiba was not threatening at all and maybe needs a bit more time to find his feet with Strasbourg, where his form did improve leading up to this game.

Either way, unless Bafana can find a greater cutting edge, as has been the way with Bafana for some time, they are unlikely to pose much of a threat to the continent’s elite.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.