It’s easy to be swept away by Bafana Bafana’s victory over New Zealand and forget some of the team’s glaring mistakes that could deny South Africa a semifinal slot.
Yes, the victory was sweet but I feel that Joel Santana has a lot of work to do instilling discipline among his players.
Along with other rational fans, the 2-0 scoreline did not sit well with me when Iraq still has to play New Zealand on Saturday. I felt gutted when our players chose to play to the gallery instead of pushing the two-goal margin. New Zealand was ripe for the taking and Bafana let them off with unproductive theatrics.
Their conduct smacks of unprofessionalism and it should be discouraged with the contempt it deserves.
With perhaps the exception of Steven Pienaar, the midfielders and strikers began to show off their ball juggling and dribbling skills towards the end of game, oblivious to the fact that Iraq could overturn the scoreline and sneak into the semifinal by virtue of a superior goal difference.
Some fans obviously loved every bit of this foolishness but one would expect professionals to know better.
Spain hammered New Zealand 5-0 and I did not see them behaving as if they had lifted the Confederations Cup. If anything, they were hungry for more goals.
A climb down from our high horse tells us that a semifinal slot for Bafana is far from decided.
Unless they can end Spain’s 34 match-winning streak on Saturday or force a draw against the European champions, then we are sitting on a time bomb.
In a tournament of this magnitude over deliberation in front of goal will be punished in the most cruel manner.
Goal difference could decide this group and the game against hapless New Zealand was there for Bafana to at least build a healthy cushion.