Bafana Bafana‘s quest in the AFCON 2023 has been a tale of resilience and determination.
Bafana Bafana optimistic despite disappointing start to AFCON 2023
Currently positioned at the bottom of Group E with no points, following a 2-0 loss to Mali, the team’s chances of advancing to the knockout stages hang in balance.
This defeat has left them in a precarious position, yet not without hope.
In their match against Mali, Bafana Bafana displayed commendable skill and strategy, especially in the first half, but their efforts were undone by a quick-fire double from Mali in the second half.
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Despite this setback, Coach Hugo Broos remains optimistic, emphasising the importance of their upcoming match against Namibia.
This game is now a must-win for South Africa to keep their knockout stage dreams alive. Namibia, having won against Tunisia, poses a significant challenge, bringing experienced players and a robust team spirit.
In Group E, Bafana Bafana faces stiff competition from Mali, Namibia, and Tunisia.
With the loss to Mali and the upcoming games against Namibia and Tunisia, South Africa’s path to the knockouts is narrow but feasible.
Here’s how Bafana Bafana can qualify for AFCON 2023 knockouts
The key lies in securing third place in the group, which can lead to a potential spot in the knockout stages, given the tournament’s format.
The AFCON tournament format allows for the advancement of the best four third-placed teams from the group stage to the knockout rounds.
This unique structure keeps the door open for teams like South Africa, who might not top their groups but still demonstrate commendable performance.
The AFCON tournament’s structure is distinctive, with a special provision for third-placed teams in the group stage. Teams are first divided into groups, playing round-robin matches.
The top two teams from each group automatically advance to the knockout stages. Additionally, the four best third-placed teams across all groups also progress.
Based on the most recently updated CAF rankings, South Africa is languishing at 14th place, above tournament darkhorses such as Angola, Equatorial Guinea and Namibia.
Out of the six groups, only four third-placed teams will progress to the next round, and already, Algeria, Ghana and Ivory Coast, nations ranked higher than South Africa, could secure a spot in the knockouts with this unique rule, leaving a nail-biting alternative for the national team, IF they fail to register a win against Namibia on Sunday.
For South Africa, every match, goal, and point is crucial, as their qualification may ultimately hinge on goal differences and total points.
