Bafana in trouble for 2012 Afcon

Monday, September 5, 2011

Pretoria - Bafana Bafana's chances of qualifying for the 2012 African Nations Cup (Afcon) in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon are slim after they suffered a 2-1 away defeat by Niger in Niamey on Sunday. 

With this crucial victory, Niger move up to top group G with 9 points from five matches, while Bafana are now second with 8 points. This was the first match where Bafana conceded goals since their 2012 Afcon campaign. 

Bafana will have to win their last qualifier match to be played against Sierra Leone at home in October, while Niger will travel to Cairo to face the under-23 Egyptian squad. 

Sierra Leone walloped the youthful Egyptian squad 2-1 in Freetown on Saturday. Sierra Leone is in the third spot, but they also have 8 points.

Dankwa Kofi scored his home-side first goal in the first half from a corner. Poor defense by Bafana saw Ouwa Moussa Maazou doubling the lead a minute after the second half. 

Bafana's consolation goal was scored by Orlando Pirates midfielder, Andile Jali, in the 70th minute. 

Bafana's loss to Niger was received with mixed emotions by South Africans on the social network Facebook. 
Mashudu Owen Mundalamo said: "Final results of AFCON qualifier... Niger walloped Bafana Bafana 2-1 to go on top of the country... A win by Niger away to Egypt will give them a spot at the AFCON 2012 tournament. As for Bafana Bafana, time will tell!"
Masonwabe Zikhali-Bucaneer Kabingca said: "That's sad." 
Rubza Bullet Mohale said: "I saw Modise n Parker on the line up n just expect any result against us...we've blown a better chance 2 end on top of the group.. I don't c Egypt beating Sierre Leone. We will under a huge pressure!!! (sic)"
Hotama Tshifhiwa Hutamo wrote: "we can still qlfy via bc door if we win our last game as the best runner up (sic)."
Asivhanzhi Muruge said: "Indeed is a bad results, draw would have been much better, but I'm not surprised at all. I mean if SAFA is still continuing organing flops friendlies for BB what do you expect, and the Captaincy should be given to the Young Khune for good. I hate to see the armband being moved to jim and jerk, at the moment we do not have a leader at BB (sic)."- BuaNews