For all those associated with Bafana Bafana, seeing them collecting the full complement of points in their two games against São Tomé would have been very pleasing. Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki had been clear before the two fixtures that six points against the team sitting at the bottom of Group C was imperative in order to bolster their qualification chances.

“We have prepared well mentally, physically and tactically and we want to take maximum points in these two games. We will be in a position to execute our play, come Friday,” Ntseki had said in the lead-up to the double header.

Everything went according to plan and Ntseki’s men ensured that São Tomé remained rooted to the bottom of the table and pointless after four games. What will be of concern for those who want Bafana to do well is how they performed, despite their two victories.

Bafana netted six goals over the two games, winning 2-0 and 4-2. In spite of those seemingly convincing victory margins on paper, on the field things were far from smooth sailing for 1996 African champions.

In the first game, despite São Tomé having last played a match in 2019 and visibly lacking fluidity and match fitness, Bafana struggled to break them down for long periods.

It was only after the introduction of Rangers midfielder Bongani Zungu in the second half that spaces began to open up, with 28-year-old finding his teammates with some sumptuous balls before adding gloss to the score with a 90th-minute header, on top of a Percy Tau penalty.

The second match was meant to be a São Tomé away game, but was also played in South Africa after the two nations mutually agreed to limit travel due to Covid-19.

As they duelled, Bafana once again looked cagey and somewhat nervous as São Tomé came into the game with a spring in their step. They attacked Bafana from the outset and landed the first blow with an early goal before Bafana equalised late in the first half and then took the lead with 20 minutes to play.

The islanders were not perturbed and once again breached Bafana’s defence with 15 minutes left on the clock. That equalising goal seemed to give them the belief that they could push for the maximum three points and Bafana took advantage of this boldness with a couple of late goals on the counter to kill the game off.

The contest was much closer than the score suggests, and against tougher opponents Ntseki and his men might have left the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium empty handed.

As it was, they moved up to second in their group and are now in with a great chance of finishing on top. 

“We had our backs to the wall at 2-2, but kept faith and goals eventually came. We are fully aware of the mistakes we made conceding the goals. Next year in March, we will work at it,” said Ntseki after the second game.

In March 2021 Bafana will face group leaders Ghana, before ending their qualification process against third-placed Sudan, who are still in with an outside chance of qualifying for the continental showpiece.

If they put on displays similar to the ones against São Tomé, they might be punished and lose out on finishing as group winners. Or, worst-case scenario, they will be pipped by Sudan for second place.

Regardless, present form considered, it’s difficult to see them being one of the nations that will represent Africa at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

They have failed to qualify for the past two editions of the global spectacle, with their last appearance dating back to 2010 when it was hosted in South Africa.

Ntseki, with pressure mounting around him and his vision for the team from supporters, will be hoping to break that World Cup qualification hoodoo. Bafana will duke it out with Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and Ghana again for the sole spot in the second round of qualification for African countries – which begins in May 2021.

For now, though, the coach and his players will step away from the national team satisfied after getting the job done and blocking out the naysayers. DM