There is no time to have excuses – Bafana captain

Bafana Bafana captain Thulani Hlatshwayo said the players must take the blame, after South Africa played out a disappointing goalless draw with the Seychelles in their 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Group E qualifier on Tuesday.

Hlatshwayo, however, defended coach Stuart Baxter, who failed to mastermind another win against the low-ranked Seychelles, after beating them 6-0 at FNB Stadium on Saturday.

“We need to take our chances, when we take our chances it makes the job easier. The coach gives us the game plan and we need to do the right things on the field,” said Hlatshwayo on Wednesday, as the team arrived back at OR Tambo International Airport.

READ: We didn’t underestimate Seychelles – Mphahlele

“Looking at how we played the first game at home we were able to score so many goals, and to go away and not score any goals, though we did create chances …. we just have to move on as a country and a team going forward,” he added.

“There is no time to have excuses, the pitch played its role … we were not able to play our football. Defensively we did well, we know Nigeria won and are top of the group and we are playing them next, and it is a different Nigeria to the one we played away … we have to do it against Nigeria.”

If Bafana can get three points against Nigeria at FNB Stadium next month, they will still qualify for Cameroon 2019.

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