Percy Tau blazes over from the penalty spot. Image: Bafana Bafana / Facebook
Where did things go wrong for Bafana Bafana in AFCON opener vs Mali?
Bafana Bafana face familiar foes on Sunday when they meet Namibia in a crunch AFCON clash. Can they fix the issues from defeat to Mali?
Percy Tau blazes over from the penalty spot. Image: Bafana Bafana / Facebook
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Tau’s penalty
Both sides started the contest brightly as South Africa and Mali went end-to-end, frantically looking for spaces to exploit. In the 18th minute, Bafana had a penalty. After a VAR review, Sikou Niakate was adjudged to have fouled Evidence Makgopa in the box. Percy Tau blazed the resulting penalty over the bar even though it initially appeared that Teboho Mokoena had stepped up to take the spot-kick. Was there a lack of clarity over who the correct taker was meant to be?
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Outnumbered in midfield
Tottenham star Yves Bissouma was on the pitch for less than an hour but by the time he came off after 58 minutes, the platform had been set for a comfortable win. The 27-year-old recycled the ball crisply and efficiently, pushing and probing from deep to help his side create high-quality chances, reflected by their 2.20 xG, considerably higher than Bafana’s 1.36 in that metric. He completed 27/29 passes and three tackles, the most of any player on the pitch. Alongside him, RB Leipzig’s Amadou Haidara and Aliou Dieng, a man Tau knows well from Al Ahly, provided the formidable running power that Bafana struggled to contain. Bafana’s pairing of Sithole and Mokoena started brightly but was eventually worn down.
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Crunch time against the Brave Warriors
Hugo Broos’ men have their work cut out to qualify from Group E with Sunday’s clash against Namibia already looking like a must-win. Namibia’s Brave Warriors picked up a historic win against Tunisia, their first-ever triumph in an AFCON match and it puts them in early control of their destiny. Sundowns striker Peter Shalulile was a menace all evening. Orlando Pirates man Deon Hotto was the match-winner with a close-range 88th-minute header.
Bafana and Namibia do battle on Sunday 21 January at 22:00.
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Meanwhile, hit up James Freemantle for more insights, analysis and love for the beautiful game.
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