On a day when their Fifa ranking plummeted to a disturbing 76th in the world, Bafana Bafana hardly enhanced a diminishing reputation on Wednesday night with a scrappy, scrambled 1-0 victory over 137th-ranked Namibia at the Sam Nujoma Stadium on the outskirts of Windhoek.
The solitary goal of the game was scored in the 60th minute for Bafana by Supersport United newcomer Katlego Mashego, who took advantage of a horrendous mix-up among three Namibian defenders to guide the ball into an empty net from 5m.
South Africa secured a timely victory after a string of miserable results this year while beating a gallant team who had upset them twice in past matches.
But what was billed as a warm-up for the African Nations Cup clash against the Democratic Republic of Congo in Johannesburg on September 2 succeeded only in providing more negatives than positives.
”The Brave Warriors”, as Namibia are known, played with more commitment and resolution and had more goal-scoring opportunities than a disjointed Bafana side who looked particularly innocuous in the striking department.
Ultimately, only two breathtaking saves in the final 15 minutes from Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Rowen Fernandez — a surprise selection in place of recognised number one Calvin Marlin — deprived Namibia of what would have been a deserved draw.
Namibia also squandered the easiest opportunity of the game when they should have equalised a bare 10 minutes after Bafana had opened the score.
And with the game extending an excruciating six minutes into referee’s optional time, Namibia had another inviting opportunity of scoring when they were awarded a controversial free kick a mere metre outside the penalty area.
Apart from Fernandez, few, if any, of the Bafana team lived up to their reputations, and several players who have shone brightly in recent Premier Soccer League games looked jaded and lethargic.
A bone-hard pitch seemed to affect Bafana more than it did the locals, and a potentially dangerous Surprise Moriri header in the 20th minute bounced from the turf over the crossbar.
Then Benson Mhlongo, appointed the 24th Bafana captain for this match, missed an inviting headed opportunity from a Dillon Sheppard corner in the 37th minute.
But Namibia grew in strength and stature as the match progressed, and Bafana got worse the longer it lasted. — Sapa