Williams wants fast start for Bafana at Afcon finals

Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams is keen for his team to make smoother progress to the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations finals than they managed the last time they played in the competition.

In 2019 in Egypt, Stuart Baxter’s Bafana qualified for the knockout rounds, but only after an anxious wait to see if they would make it from their group.

South Africa lost to the Ivory Coast and Morocco either side of beating Namibia, and in the end their points tally and goal difference were just enough for them to make it as the last of the four best third-place finishers.

Bafana then stunned hosts Egypt in the last 16, before narrowly losing to Nigeria in the quarterfinals, a creditable display, but one that was too close for comfort to ending in the group stages.

Williams, one of three members of Hugo Broos’ Bafana squad for the tournament in the Ivory Coast that were there in 2019, stressed the need for South Africa to get off to a fast start in their opening Group E match against Mali on Tuesday.

‘Not a good situation’

“The main thing is to collect points,” said Williams when asked what his side needed to do differently to make life more comfortable.

“The opening game is so important, it is going to be tough one … but the main thing is that we have control over our own destiny. I remember last time (in 2019), watching the games in other groups, and we don’t want that, it is not a good situation.

“We want to get points on the board (this time) as early as possible.”