Three positives Bafana can take into Morocco AFCON clash

Bafana Bafana have progressed to the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire where they will face pre-tournament favourites Morocco on Tuesday for a place in the quarterfinals.

Phakaaathi football writer Katlego Modiba looks at three positives Bafana can take into that Atlas Lions match-up.

Stability at the back

For everyone rouoing for Bafana Bafana, there’s no doubt that a victory against Tunisia would have been a great way to round off the group stages. However, South Africa didn’t need to lift a finger and a draw was always going to be enough to secure passage into the knockout phase. Hugo Broos will be encouraged by the fact that his team kept a second successive clean sheet at the nations cup.

Following the 2-0 loss to Mali in their opening game of the tournament, Grant Kekana’s elevation to the starting XI in place of Siyanda Xulu to partner Mothobi Mvala has brought about stability in the heart of defence.

Nigeria, Senegal, Mali, Namibia and Morocco are the five other nations that were able to keep two clean sheets in the first phase of the competition.

Bafana are more than one dimensional

During the 2-0 loss to Mali, it was clear that Bafana Bafana had one game plan and that was to play possession-based football. When that didn’t work out, they struggled to adjust against the West Africans. That all changed against Namibia and Tunisia. The ’96 champions played with a mixture of carpet football and went direct to the tall frame of Evidence Makgopa when escaping pressing traps. Bafana will need to be more flexible if they are to progress deeper into the tournament, because being a one-trick pony can come at a huge cost.

Bafana showing maturity at AFCON

Considering that a draw was always going to be enough to progress into the last 16, Bafana showed signs of a team that is able to dictate the tempo of the game and eat away the clock to get over the line.

They frustrated tTunisia, who are ironically the masters of managing the game. This aspect of the game is going to be crucial in the knockout rounds, especially if South Africa find themselves in the ascendancy. Managing time and looking after the ball are all part and parcel of being champions. This was also evident in Mamelodi Sundowns’ route to winning the African Football League late last year.