It’s been a while since South African soccer fans had reasons to feel positive about their side, but this has slowly started to change over the last few months. Under the guidance of Shakes Mashaba, Bafana Bafana have undergone a sort of renaissance.

They remained unbeaten in the qualifying stages for the Africa Cup of Nations and topped their qualifying group, beating Sudan and Congo while drawing with Nigeria. They conceded just three goals during the qualifying stage and while they are far from a finished article, the signs are there of a bright future.

Most importantly, for the first time in a long time, South Africa looked like a team rather than a bunch of people being forced to play together. Mashaba has trusted those he knows are talented and has not been afraid to shed those he thinks do not have their priorities straight. His honesty and pragmatism has been refreshing and while much of what he has achieved has come in the ‘honeymoon period’, Mashaba has brought a new vigour to the national team.

Now that vigour needs to be channelled into his toughest challenge yet: the Africa Cup of Nations. South Africa are drawn with Ghana, Senegal and Algeria in what is arguably the toughest group of the competition. They will begin their campaign against the number one ranked African team – Algeria – in the tournament opener on 19 January. They will then play Senegal before finishing their group stage with a match against Ghana.

Algeria are undoubtedly the toughest competitors in the group. The Desert Foxes were impressive during the World Cup, also topped their qualifying group, losing just one match against Mali. It will take a tactical masterclass to break down the sturdy defences of the North Africans, but that’s exactly the kind of challenge that Mashaba thrives under. The two sides have never played each other before so there’s plenty of research ahead for Mashaba and his technical team.

Ghana won three, drew two and lost one of their qualifying matches, and are one of the most unpredictable sides Bafana will face. Prone to player unrest and dramas and a team that can often come across as listless on the pitch, the Black Stars are a beatable side. The sides have played each other six times before, with South Africa holding the better record, having beaten Ghana three times, drawing once and losing twice.

Senegal, meanwhile, finished second behind Tunisia in their group, winning four, drawing once and losing once. Senegal are often referred to as ‘dark horses’ in such tournaments, but their record in the competition is quite poor. They did not qualify for the previous edition of the tournament and were eliminated in Round 1 back in 2012. The two sides have met on three previous occasions with two draws and one win for Senegal.

While it is one of the toughest groups of the tournament, it’s not all that bad for South Africa. Unlike some of his predecessors, Mashaba has no Afcon mandate. No expectation from the powers that be takes a significant amount of pressure off Shakes and his charges, but from a personal perspective, the coach also has something to prove. Labelled as the “cheap” option when he was appointed, Mashaba has made it clear that such labels are hurtful. He would like nothing more than to prove that, after being in the background for so long, he is up for the job and was chosen entirely on merit, not just because he was an affordable option.

Of concern for Mashaba, though, is that his national players still have a few fixtures to get through before the tournament takes a break on 21 December. With no central contracts in place for the national team, the South African Football Association have no sway on Premier Soccer League clubs when it comes to resting players. A short break just before the Afcon tournament begins in January will offer some reprieve for wary legs, but an injury to any of his local players could be disastrous. Similarly, players like Tokelo Rantie and captain Dean Furman, who are based overseas, will not get a break at all before the tournament begins. The English League takes no break over the festive season and as two of Bafana’s key players, their wellbeing is crucial.

If all goes to plan, though, and injuries are kept in check, Mashaba and his charges can only emerge from Afcon with their heads held high. Should they play to the standard they have been playing and be eliminated early on, no one will be too aggrieved by their failures. If they manage to make it through the group stages, they will be hailed as heroes for beating some of Africa’s best.

It won’t be easy for Mashaba’s men, but whatever happens, it will be worth it. DM

Photo: Ghana team pose prior the FIFA World Cup 2014 group G preliminary round match between Portugal and Ghana at the Estadio Nacional in Brasilia, Brazil, 26 June 2014.